Not just for the web anymore...
"Usability" has been an objective in the web design realm forever. The past few years I've noticed a difference in how I approach print work because of the influence usability holds on the web. Actually, I find myself noticing more and more the need for those who work in media other than the web to embrace the cult of usability.
Case in point: gas stations. Pumping gas is an exercise in the delivery of information as well as fuel. I'm constantly finding myself looking around, not able to find the simple pump number to tell the cashier at many gas stations. The mantra "Don't Make Me Think!" runs through my head. With gas prices running so high, our eyes are glued usually to one spot-the price. From a usability stand-point, that makes the best spot for label the pump numbers, right where I'm already looking. There are numerous other examples that come to mind, ranging from simple gas station number to the wayfinding system of BART .
One strong reason to bring the idea of usability out of the it's offline obscurity is the nature of our culture today. Thousands of messages compete for our attention. The resulting Attention Deficit Disorder created by that bombardment follows the Flexability-Usability Tradeoff theory. Basically as the number of options (flexibility) something has, the more complex and difficult to use it is. So we see hundreds of commercial messages in a short period of time, which makes it more difficult to process all those options. For this reason, I've changed my approach to magazine ads. The ads in most periodicals are visually complex, especially when you go lower on the budget available to produce those ads. I've found myself working to create ads that are as simple as possible. The simplest design and more concise headline are more usable amid the clutter and therefore, the reader is more likely to not only stop and take in the message, but retain it longer.
I think the principal applies across the board in print design. Cameron's brochure design using a chiasmus is an excellent example. The phrase "logical content flow on this particular piece" sounds right out of an IA discussion. I remember the looks of confusion from coworkers a while ago as I was embroiled in a similar dilemma. The fact that I was also in the thick of working on the IA for a large website at the same time points to why I was thinking this way.
Case in point: gas stations. Pumping gas is an exercise in the delivery of information as well as fuel. I'm constantly finding myself looking around, not able to find the simple pump number to tell the cashier at many gas stations. The mantra "Don't Make Me Think!" runs through my head. With gas prices running so high, our eyes are glued usually to one spot-the price. From a usability stand-point, that makes the best spot for label the pump numbers, right where I'm already looking. There are numerous other examples that come to mind, ranging from simple gas station number to the wayfinding system of BART .
One strong reason to bring the idea of usability out of the it's offline obscurity is the nature of our culture today. Thousands of messages compete for our attention. The resulting Attention Deficit Disorder created by that bombardment follows the Flexability-Usability Tradeoff theory. Basically as the number of options (flexibility) something has, the more complex and difficult to use it is. So we see hundreds of commercial messages in a short period of time, which makes it more difficult to process all those options. For this reason, I've changed my approach to magazine ads. The ads in most periodicals are visually complex, especially when you go lower on the budget available to produce those ads. I've found myself working to create ads that are as simple as possible. The simplest design and more concise headline are more usable amid the clutter and therefore, the reader is more likely to not only stop and take in the message, but retain it longer.
I think the principal applies across the board in print design. Cameron's brochure design using a chiasmus is an excellent example. The phrase "logical content flow on this particular piece" sounds right out of an IA discussion. I remember the looks of confusion from coworkers a while ago as I was embroiled in a similar dilemma. The fact that I was also in the thick of working on the IA for a large website at the same time points to why I was thinking this way.
