October 9, 2006 Section 4: Why do an RIA Designing an RIA

October 9, 2006 Why? ● Simply put … because you can. ● There is very little “should” here ● Looking back at John Maeda’s Laws of Simplicity – Always question the addition of anything, even if it leads to the reduction of something else. Let’s look deeper at some good reasons why.

October 9, 2006 Hello! Humans are Emotional Don Norman’s Emotional Design Your emotional state when using a product will effect not just your enjoyment of it, but your effectiveness (at least perceptual) with it. “Attractive Things Work Better” is the very title of the first chapter.

October 9, 2006 Location, Location, Location That works for real estate … … for UX Designers … Context, Context, Context

October 9, 2006 Intuitive ? ● Creating an intuitive application is all about matching expectations of the user. ● Understanding the context of use is the best way to come as close as possible to do that. ● The desktop is a constant. The Operating System is the heart and soul of the desktop experience.

October 9, 2006 Legacy of the Web ? ● Strong legacy with web metaphors – Back button (or just “history”) – Hyperlink

October 9, 2006 RIAs offer Hybridization ● Toyota can’t have all the fun … ● Big challenges for designers, but the end- game is worth the effort. Yahoo Mail Beta Flickr

October 9, 2006 Learnability ● Understanding where I was and where I’m going. ● Having the RIGHT information at the right time, with the right supporting information.

October 9, 2006 Security ● Using windowing enhances security – I know that I really didn’t leave – I know when I’m done I’ll be going back to where I started ● Security allows for more risk taking

October 9, 2006 Managing Complexity Discoverability ● Use scent to guide people ● Hide complexity to avoid overwhelming people with too much content ● Richness allows for fluidity and better invitations Baby Name Wizard

October 9, 2006 Power of Movement ● Sometimes contrasts in color, shape, alignment are not enough ● Moving objects catch our eyes and our mind’s attention ● Time is perception – Motion (and change) = activity – Perception of system working if not faster, at least working for my benefit. Yahoo! Maps (beta)

October 9, 2006 Playful ● Using your hands in multiple ways ● Novelty through animation and discoverability ● Engagement leads to productivity

Designing Powerful Web Applications with AJAX & Other RIAs October 9, 2006 Design (Big ‘D’) “I design software” “I’m wearing designer jeans” “interaction design” “design school” “That design looks cool”

Designing Powerful Web Applications with AJAX & Other RIAs October 9, 2006 What is “design”? ● Design as noun (I like that “design”) – Is the result of a conceived idea, whether or not it was actually “designed” ● Design as verb (I “design” software) – A process of creativity – Non-linear – Assumes there is more than one elegant solution to any single problem – Considers the measurable and the aesthetic

Designing Powerful Web Applications with AJAX & Other RIAs October 9, 2006 Making Design (verb) Work ● Divergent thinking – Skew, bend, melt, tear … change! ● Evaluation is separate from Ideation – Put your judge on hold ● Multiple minds ● Model, Model, Model (AKA: sketch, sketch, sketch) ● Taking the road least traveled can bring you back to the freeway – Process ideas in disconnected ways – Connect disconnected ideas in separate exercise

Designing Powerful Web Applications with AJAX & Other RIAs October 9, 2006 Exercise: Criteria From Section 1 ● Criteria for the design – Application Service (Hosted) ● Infinite Audience ● Business-to-Business community – File Management System ● Moving lots of files – Collaborative – Media Centric ● Criteria for Development – Old-school software engineering; – Highly formally educated group

Designing Powerful Web Applications with AJAX & Other RIAs October 9, 2006 Exercise: Moving forward ● Need to share corporate media objects across different enterprises ● Need to collaborate on these objects – Annotate – Version – Append ● Need to publish out to 3 rd parties Don’t worry we aren’t doing this whole application …

Designing Powerful Web Applications with AJAX & Other RIAs October 9, 2006 Exercise: Annotate Design a set of screens that make up one page 1. Displays both a list objects and single object 2. Allows the user to comment on that object 3. Track commenting 4. Annotate on media directly 5. Create a collection and “send” that collection

Designing Powerful Web Applications with AJAX & Other RIAs October 9, 2006 Things to think about ● Manage complexity through progressive presentation ● Motion aids learnability ● Prirotize information and tasks within a single context ● “Do I need a new context?” “Why?” “Why not?” ● “What is the nature of my data for this context?”

October 9, 2006 Questions ? Resources: Dave’s Blog: Bill’s Blog: looksgoodworkswell.blogspot.com