Comments on: As The Blu Dot Guys Say, “Good Design Is Good” http://blogs.jobdig.com/diggings/2008/04/11/as-the-blu-dot-guys-say-good-design-is-good/ A blog about recruitment advertising, media, publishing, HR, work, & technology, among other things Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:42:15 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5.2 hourly 1 By: Lief Larson http://blogs.jobdig.com/diggings/2008/04/11/as-the-blu-dot-guys-say-good-design-is-good/comment-page-1/#comment-26861 Lief Larson Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:01:18 +0000 http://blogs.jobdig.com/diggings/2008/04/11/as-the-blu-dot-guys-say-good-design-is-good/#comment-26861 If content trumps design, why wouldn't you want to drive around in a rust bucket car if it had a 407 engine and leather seats. Aesthetics play a major part in usability, especially in communicating priority functions. For example, when I worked in the human factor engineering space in 2002-2004, we learned that a text-based hyperlink fell miserably short in click-through rates compared to it's cousin, the graphic button with shadows and definable color (that alternated on roll-over). Craigslist, and let's be Frank here, is the result of generic necessity rather than intentional minimalism. If placing colorful buttons increased the bottom line, they would have done it long ago. Their core product is FREE. If content trumps design, why wouldn’t you want to drive around in a rust bucket car if it had a 407 engine and leather seats. Aesthetics play a major part in usability, especially in communicating priority functions. For example, when I worked in the human factor engineering space in 2002-2004, we learned that a text-based hyperlink fell miserably short in click-through rates compared to it’s cousin, the graphic button with shadows and definable color (that alternated on roll-over). Craigslist, and let’s be Frank here, is the result of generic necessity rather than intentional minimalism. If placing colorful buttons increased the bottom line, they would have done it long ago. Their core product is FREE.

]]> By: Toby Dayton http://blogs.jobdig.com/diggings/2008/04/11/as-the-blu-dot-guys-say-good-design-is-good/comment-page-1/#comment-26624 Toby Dayton Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:34:08 +0000 http://blogs.jobdig.com/diggings/2008/04/11/as-the-blu-dot-guys-say-good-design-is-good/#comment-26624 I agree that design exists to mediate the relationship between the user and the site/content they are looking for. Not only mediate, but, in a perfect world, enhance. Sites don't have to be, nor should they be, overdesigned. Design should never detract from functionality or the seamless delivery of content. Ultimately, the best sites find a perfect balance between design and functionality - where, in fact, the design enhances and improves the functionality. But Craigslist has absolutely no balance whatsoever. Their fanatical insistence on absolutely no design not only lessens the appeal of the site, it misses the opportunity to fully maximize the usability or ease of use. Keep it all text - fine. How about using some design elements to better organize the page (jobs are one color, personals another, for example - a small change and maybe insignificant, but it's the first thing that popped into my head with 5 seconds of thought, and maybe a nice way to help people differentiate among all the various types of classifieds). Design can (and always should) enhance user experience/user satisfaction. They entirely ignore the value that good design can bring to a product or service. It has worked for them to this point, but a better designed, better functioning site with sufficient content and an approximately equal value proposition, will eventually beat them. I agree that design exists to mediate the relationship between the user and the site/content they are looking for. Not only mediate, but, in a perfect world, enhance. Sites don’t have to be, nor should they be, overdesigned. Design should never detract from functionality or the seamless delivery of content. Ultimately, the best sites find a perfect balance between design and functionality – where, in fact, the design enhances and improves the functionality. But Craigslist has absolutely no balance whatsoever. Their fanatical insistence on absolutely no design not only lessens the appeal of the site, it misses the opportunity to fully maximize the usability or ease of use.

Keep it all text – fine. How about using some design elements to better organize the page (jobs are one color, personals another, for example – a small change and maybe insignificant, but it’s the first thing that popped into my head with 5 seconds of thought, and maybe a nice way to help people differentiate among all the various types of classifieds). Design can (and always should) enhance user experience/user satisfaction. They entirely ignore the value that good design can bring to a product or service. It has worked for them to this point, but a better designed, better functioning site with sufficient content and an approximately equal value proposition, will eventually beat them.

]]> By: Gunnar http://blogs.jobdig.com/diggings/2008/04/11/as-the-blu-dot-guys-say-good-design-is-good/comment-page-1/#comment-26608 Gunnar Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:59:01 +0000 http://blogs.jobdig.com/diggings/2008/04/11/as-the-blu-dot-guys-say-good-design-is-good/#comment-26608 disagree. the problem with most design is that due to the ego of th designers - they don't know when to step out of the way. design exists to mediate the interaction between the user and the content/context. clearly craigslist has nailed it in this case minimalism is fine. their users want CONTENT. why should some egomaniac designer try stand between that? look at google. minimalism works fine. look at the stock page in the newpaper - ALL content. give me the ticker, price and trend. thanks have a nice day no more 'design' required. just the facts ma'am-style design is a welcome relief disagree. the problem with most design is that due to the ego of th designers – they don’t know when to step out of the way. design exists to mediate the interaction between the user and the content/context. clearly craigslist has nailed it in this case minimalism is fine. their users want CONTENT. why should some egomaniac designer try stand between that? look at google. minimalism works fine. look at the stock page in the newpaper – ALL content. give me the ticker, price and trend. thanks have a nice day no more ‘design’ required. just the facts ma’am-style design is a welcome relief

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