sotto.org

I've come to a disconcerting conclusion: design research is great when it comes to improving existing product categories but essentially useless when it comes to new, innovative breakthroughs. I reached this conclusion through examination of a range of product innovations, most especially looking at those major conceptual breakthroughs that have had huge impact upon society as well as the more common, mundane small, continual improvements. Call one conceptual breakthrough, the other incremental. Although we would prefer to believe that conceptual breakthroughs occur because of a detailed consideration of human needs, especially fundamental but unspoken hidden needs so beloved by the design research community, the fact is that it simply doesn't happen.

More at Donald Norman's site.

My boss' new blog that is an addendum to his upcoming O'Reilly book. # § Blog, Design, UI, Usability, Workplace

Video of Denise Stephens on Multiple Sclerosis at Scripting Enabled London # § accessibliity, flxui, Usability, Video

Interesting and fun UI concepts in this implementation. # § 3d, desktop, flxui, HCI, Usability

Or the accessibility struggle in a nutshell. # § Accessibility, HCI, Usability

"More support":http://www.columbia.edu/~ss957/whenchoice.html for the "paradox of choice":http://sotto.org/2006/11/25/the_other_mores_law/

These findings are striking. Certainly, they appear to challenge a fundamental assumption held by psychologists and economists alike—that having more, rather than fewer, choices is necessarily more desirable and intrinsically motivating. The findings from this study show that an extensive array of options can at first seem highly appealing to consumers, yet at the same time, can subsequently reduce their motivation to purchase the product. Even though consumers presumably shop at this particular store in part because of the large number of selections available, having "too much" choice seems nonetheless to have hampered their later motivation to buy.

Subtly different from paper prototyping? [via xblog] # § Design, HCI, Uncategorized, Usability, User_Experience

As told by another Raskin. Any relation to Jef Raskin? # § HCI, Uncategorized, Usability, Video

Better comprehension through haiku or LOLCATS. via the blue. # § HCI, Uncategorized, Usability

Kind of disappointing only because they could have reinvented application state and chose to go classic. # § Culture, Hardware, Technology, UI, Uncategorized, Usability

The formalization that speaks to most phbs, after the post-it notes have been thrown away. # § Uncategorized, Usability, Workplace

I'd put sliced bread in that same category as well. # § Design, HCI, People, Uncategorized, Usability

John Maeda's Laws of Simplicity. [via Presentation Zen]. # § Design, People, Uncategorized, Usability