2. The Beauty of Simplicity Kristiina Karvonen University of Helsinki & Helsinki University of Technology Finland

3. November 17, 2000 ACM CUU 2000 Kristiina Karvonen The Beauty of Simplicity?? zRelevant for usability of security, and trust, about which this paper really is about zalso, we want to point out that to create better usability, we can (and should) make use of the existing body of knowledge, including aesthetics, the study of the beautiful

4. November 17, 2000 ACM CUU 2000 Kristiina Karvonen Why Beauty? zBecause it matters. Numerous studies report on the importance of "design quality" on users' opinions about the trustworthiness of a Web service zwhat, then, is considered "beautiful" on the Web? zTo study these questions, we need Web aesthetics.

5. November 17, 2000 ACM CUU 2000 Kristiina Karvonen Why Simplicity? zPromoted by "usability purists" like Jacob Nielsen for good reasons zin case of trust, simple design promotes trust z…and in aesthetics, "simplicity" has often been equated with "beauty"

6. November 17, 2000 ACM CUU 2000 Kristiina Karvonen A Few Words about Trust za part of usability of computer security yhas various ingredients: technical, legal, social, psycohological etc. ycornerstones: privacy and trust yan area where even one mistake may be too much

7. November 17, 2000 ACM CUU 2000 Kristiina Karvonen What is Usability? y"getting there" - succesful and effective interaction y"feeling good" - perceived easiness of use y"getting it right" - understanding the system zdifferent things for different users

8. November 17, 2000 ACM CUU 2000 Kristiina Karvonen Trust Is… za combination of an emotional and rational response zhard to put into words zbased on decision-making, conscious or subconscious

9. November 17, 2000 ACM CUU 2000 Kristiina Karvonen Ingredients of trust according to Nielsen zTrust is formed through experience zTrust is a long-term proposition zTrust is hard to build and easy to lose zTrustworthiness can be communicated through use of seals of approval, brand reputation, appropriate use of technology, and through design

10. November 17, 2000 ACM CUU 2000 Kristiina Karvonen Trustworthy Design yDesign quality yUp-front disclosure yComprehensive, correct, and current information yConnected to the rest of the Web yGiving users a feeling of being in control and knowing what is happening

11. November 17, 2000 ACM CUU 2000 Kristiina Karvonen Visualising trust - how? zSimple statements of security? zDetailed technical descriptions? zIntuitive interface metaphors? zStandards and conventional notations? zOne of these? All? More?

12. November 17, 2000 ACM CUU 2000 Kristiina Karvonen Trustworthy design means... zConservative look? zOfficial look? zClarity? zArtistic touch? zResemblance? z??? zDifferent things in different situations?

13. November 17, 2000 ACM CUU 2000 Kristiina Karvonen …at least it means beautiful design! zOn a conscious level users often consider beauty not to be essential z…but on a subconscious level the perceived beauty is likely to enhance trust zSo, beauty should be promoted z…but what exactly is considered to be beautiful?

14. November 17, 2000 ACM CUU 2000 Kristiina Karvonen Definitions for Aesthetics zlatin aesthetica, greek aisthetikos - means "perceptive", "receptive" zstudy of the nature and meaning of art zstudy of artistic creative process zstudy of enjoying and experiencing art zstudy of evaluating and appreciating art

15. November 17, 2000 ACM CUU 2000 Kristiina Karvonen Aesthetic Questions zDoes the work of art embody special properties, like beauty, sublimity, prettiness - and if so, how are these related to its other properties? zHow relevant are the object's function, the context of production and the artist's intentions? zDoes it matter how a work was produced, and whether is was forgery?

16. November 17, 2000 ACM CUU 2000 Kristiina Karvonen Aesthetic Evaluations zHow are aesthetic terms and judgments to be analysed? zCan such judgments be true or false? zHow, if at all, can they be justified? zAre there objective canons of taste?

17. November 17, 2000 ACM CUU 2000 Kristiina Karvonen Aesthetic Examples zpraise of simplicity has a long history zunderstanding the cognitive process behind perceiving Web services zapplying various styles and various aesthetics

18. November 17, 2000 ACM CUU 2000 Kristiina Karvonen Know your users! zMany kinds of aesthetics are needed ztechnical aesthetics for expert users zbeauty for transaction process means simplicity z"New York style" vs. "Californian style" zChoice of aesthetics depends on the basic functionality of the service zcultural background plays an important role

19. November 17, 2000 ACM CUU 2000 Kristiina Karvonen Universal Web Aesthetics? zNot likely zaesthetic taste varies across continents, age groups, cultural background etc. zseems troublesome z…but may be crucial for the success of your Web service: the decision to trust the service and to be willing to use it requires trust, so you should promote it through promoting beauty