

Google UX=Dismal - Sami_Lehtinen
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-uxdismal-jim-jensen

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onion2k
_But because the field jumps and the Google Search button disappears, it
serves absolutely no purpose on the page. If you try clicking on it before
typing a search argument, it does nothing._

The fact an element doesn't do anything isn't necessarily a reason to remove
it. The 'useless' Google Search button serves an important purpose - it acts
as a design continuation, connecting the Google search page of the past with
the Google of today. If the button wasn't there a user who doesn't visit
Google very often (eg most users, because the Google homepage isn't the main
entry point to search any more) would wonder how to submit the form before
they typed anything, and consequently might not type anything because they'd
be thinking "what do I do once I've typed something?"

The "useless" button is essentially a placebo that makes the user think
nothing has changed. That is far from useless.

~~~
DominikD
You never get to click it though, unless you disable "Google Instant
predictions". But it's not the default on majority of the devices out there so
it is in fact technically useless. But sure, it's a placebo and for that
reason Google's UI won't change. Comments on LinkedIn clearly show that people
conflate habits with good UI. But I don't think it's fair to say that search
button's existence is useful. It... just is there, that's all. :)

~~~
onion2k
An element is useful if it _does something_. In the case of the non-
functioning Google Search button, what it does is help the user feel that the
box they're about to interact with leads somewhere. Effectively it turns the
text entry box in to a search feature. It's a cognitive shortcut - rather than
Google labelling the text entry box, they've included a button that tells the
user "This text box functions the same as it always has" while the real
functionality has changed. That, in my opinion, is useful.

