

Subsets of Design: Logic behind Voodoo - kingsidharth
http://www.64notes.com/design/design-and-subsets-essay

======
notatoad
Like every other ux article I've read lately, this is all conjecture and no
numbers.

"do it this way. This is the right way" "why?" "because it is. Just look at
it. It makes sense"

I'd love to see some articles (or books) on ux design with actual stats,
numbers on how long users took to figure out certain UI patters over other
patterns, real usability studies, which patterns increased conversions or
sales or even user satisfaction, backed up by real stats and not a bloggers
conjecture. Anybody know of any resources like this?

~~~
acgourley
You seem to be complaining about a lack of objective measurement from the
author in terms of what is a "good" or "bad" design.

This confuses me because the point of the article was to talk about
differences of 5 different kinds of design discipline. It's more of a
dictionary of terms. And it's a helpful one.

~~~
kingsidharth
I get what you mean. I plan to write more detailed analysis, theory essays and
case studies. But needed to write a reference article that just helps you
understand subsets of design and their actual meaning. If you know what I
mean.

Thanks a ton for feedback :)

~~~
mattslight
Can you do one on using social media and the modern world of engagement? ;)

M

~~~
kingsidharth
Sorry did not get you. You mean design analysis of social media sites?

------
ThomPete
(owner of <http://finaltouchapp.com> here)

I am all for critique and there are plenty of things to critique on that site.

But the support button critique is a pseudo problem up there on the line with
the line spacing.

There are several ways to contact me and most people still know what an email
is.

Could it be further from the logo, sure. Is it a real problem, no.

~~~
kingsidharth
1\. That's the point of the article: spacing is not just spacing it can break
UX to the point that things become unusable.

2\. Intention was not to contact anyone.

3\. "Is it a real problem, no." Maybe not for you. As a potential user I was
confused at your site. That's when I bookmarked it for example. And as a
designer I could understand where the problem is.

But then everything is an opinion. < Oh well, this too.

~~~
ThomPete
I know this is going to come off as defending. But I know my numbers so I'll
bite.

1\. But see thats the problem with your claim. It's not breaking the UX to the
point of becoming unusable. I have more people click on those links than on
the buy button and my conversion is not bad. (You can read about my first
month here <http://www.000fff.org/incomereport/>)

Even if it was an actual problem you can't make any general rules based on it.
"Too close" is contextual. What if the logo was smaller? If the colors where
different etc. So it's not really useful. And again my numbers show no
problems with it.

2\. But given what you are critiquing that's the point.

3\. You were confused about what?

If you really wanted to critique the UX you should critique the copy, the
application on the right, the ugly logo (which kills some conversion) etc.

~~~
kingsidharth
1\. I like people who bite, with numbers. :D So they clicked the Support
Updates Twitter link? tl,dr; what section presents number of clicks on those
menu items?

2\. I don't get it.

So my aim was to give some example of how a part of design neglected can cause
confusion. Where does contacting you come in between? Are you saying that I
should have told you when I was using your site as an example?

3\. I thought "Support Updates Twitter" was your tagline. I was like shouldn't
it be Supports Twitter Updates? But why will it? And so on. Then tested same
on some friends.

But after thoughts, my critique was specific to some parts. Should've kept it
to there instead of presenting as if the whole site is unusable. If that is
what you mean.

~~~
alexhawket
I agree at first glance, the site took me a few seconds to orient myself as
the layout was confusing.

The "support twitter updates" looks like a tagline and the categories are
confusing. A standard menu would be at the top right of the page with
Updates/About/Contact/Support as options.

The "screenshot" of the product on the top right is confusing.. it looks like
clickable UI elements at first.

The buy button does not have enough contrast and the desired action is not
clear enough. Plus why is the sale price on the button? Was that tested?

The fact that this is on sale is not immediately obvious.

The screenshot of the product's menu should be next to the mouse, perhaps
overlapping.

The manual portion is superfluous and should be on the support page or on a
separate "How it works" link.

The background is nice but really distracting.

Finally the phalanx of share buttons at the top is highly distracting and
might be better placed somewhere else. I would probably put a grey band at the
top with the share links on the left and the support/about menu items on the
top right.

I would also move the screenshot next to the mouse, put the sale price info
above the buy button and move the buy button down onto the grey section to
provide more contrast (plus I'd try the button in the orange/yellow). The text
between sale price and the app store logo should go below the buy button to
the right of the other grey text.

The copy could also be tightened up.. for example "Instantly achieve unrivaled
precision with any mouse." is a much tigther value proposition.

The grey bullet points should be shortened and more clearly delineated.

Finally the FinalTouch logo has too much glow and makes my eyes bug out.

Note: I'm not trying to denigrate the owner's website. This is an unsolicited
random opinion.

~~~
ThomPete
What is your goal? And do you know your suggestions will fix that?

~~~
alexhawket
Do I know if my suggestions will fix anything? No of course not, they have to
be tested. But my experience tells me it could be improved significantly.

~~~
ThomPete
But improve what? That is the question.

My conversion rate is actually pretty good.

Again I don't mind critique and there are plenty of things to critique about
the site. But that is not the same as saying that they are important things.

~~~
kingsidharth
Great man. Just a short story from a late friend of mine:

A collector (respectable govt. service post) used to sit in _Mushayra_ (urdu
poetry convention.

He recited "People say the art of poetry is evil. I became collector reciting
it."

People clapped.

One man replied "Crown of world was in your destiny. You remained a collector
reciting it."

