“User Interface Design and Evaluation” began life as the Open University distance learning course M873, part of the postgraduate diploma. More than 1000 professionals studied the course and the University decided to make the core course materials available as aContinue reading… User Interface Design and Evaluation: Open University textbook
Category: Design
Long forms: scroll or tab?
As some of you will know, I’m pretty much a diehard forms obsessive and there’s nothing I like more than a question about forms – especially if I have some experience or data to support my answer. So I thoughtContinue reading… Long forms: scroll or tab?
“Easy Read” and writing for people with learning disabilities
For a long while now, I’ve been worrying about how to design forms for people with learning disabilities. It’s not been a pressing problem because frankly, a lot of the forms that I work with don’t even work for peopleContinue reading… “Easy Read” and writing for people with learning disabilities
We need to include people with disabilities in our designs
Recently, I was having an online conversation about the challenges of finding participants for testing – specifically, the challenges of finding participants with disabilities. Someone put the view; “if we’re having trouble finding people with disabilities, then maybe we wouldContinue reading… We need to include people with disabilities in our designs
Books on usability? … not one in a thousand
I live in England, and here Christmas is pretty inescapable. That suits me fine as I love the whole thing: twinkly lights, family get together that’s always exactly the same every year, crazed people rushing through the shops. And so,Continue reading… Books on usability? … not one in a thousand
Hooray, I’m Doing the Forms!
Here’s a little secret that I’d like to share with you: most people just aren’t all that thrilled by forms. They don’t like filling them in, they don’t like thinking about them, and they certainly don’t like the idea ofContinue reading… Hooray, I’m Doing the Forms!
Not beyond usability – just nearby
I’ve got a pet peeve: the phrase ‘beyond usability’. It doesn’t matter who uses it and how appropriate it is to the content of their article, website, speech or whatever. I hear it, I get annoyed, I stop paying attention.Continue reading… Not beyond usability – just nearby
Making a better web form
Which usability changes make the biggest difference? Invited by LoanBright to review their forms, we were surprised by some of the results. Among the changes we tested – layout, wording of questions, addition of extra pages – the only one to make a significant differenceContinue reading… Making a better web form
Five factors for choosing forms software
At any time there are dozens of forms products on the market so how do you choose the right option for physically creating your form? In this paper for the Business Forms Management Association Symposium, I explore five areas you need toContinue reading… Five factors for choosing forms software
The piece of HTML created just for me: Reset
HTML 2.0 appeared in 1995. At that time, I was working in usability of forms – and I still am. But I didn’t have email or an internet connection. So I think it was remarkably nice of the authors to includeContinue reading… The piece of HTML created just for me: Reset