I’m working on it
Posted by: Jessie Shen on: February 20, 2009
I’m ashamed that the last post was dated back in 2007, however, i’ve now picked it up again and let’s hope this will come alive again soooooooon.
Different navigation styles of online music sites
Posted by: Jessie Shen on: December 7, 2007
Since the Web2.0 started, it encourages web designers towards the simpler and more interactive navigation style. I can still remember when Tom Cruise was searching for the little piece of information through all files in Minority Report, the interactive touch wall he used in the office was fascinating. Pointing at files, moving them around, these are exactly what I’d like to experience with the next generation of a PC. Although currently this technique is still in development, the idea of the interactive navigation has been widely used on different websites.
I’d like to share a few examples that I’ve seen so far 
Bandsintown – a new Music 2.0 concert tracking service
TuneGlue – a mind-map style music visualisation tool powered by Last.fm and Amazon data 
Dimvision MusicMap – a flash-based application uses a similar mind-map model for related artists.
Emotional Factors Vs Functionality, who’s the winner?
Posted by: Jessie Shen on: November 23, 2007
Personally I believe it’s a draw, neither of them can win. So people would ask who is the actual winner in a design process then, the answer is usability. According to Norman’s Emotional Design, the emotional factors can enhance the usability in a design process, but it could not replace it. No matter how attractive the design looks, if a user can’t follow the system or the system can’t provide the user with what he/she wants, it is still ‘rubbish’. The similar rule applies to the functionality side as well. A site/software can be extremely powerful that it can perform all sorts of complicated functions. However, if it’s not usable, no one can understand it or follow its process, then the system is again ‘rubbish’.
A well-designed product/site/software does not have to a very attractive design or a huge selection of functions. As long as it meets the basic requirements from users; it is easy to be understood and followed by users, then it is a good design. Both emotional factors and powerful functionalities help improve a good design to an excellent design. 
Comparing Apple’s iPod with Creative’s Zen, obviously according to the market share, iPod is definitely the winner. Although Zen’s functionalities are much better than an iPod, iPod’s wheel design definitely helps to hide some shortcomings of the functionality.
Therefore, in my opinion, an excellent design requires some emotional factors, some functionality, but both of them have to serve usability and users’ requirement in the central.
Pagination and tab design examples
Posted by: Jessie Shen on: November 23, 2007
Design around paginations and tabs is often ignored by designers. Some may think that they are two ’small’ to be cared. Well, this is not totally true. In fact, both tab and pagination are site navigation tools. They help users to navigate through products list, tables etc. Therefore, it is also important to pay attention to them during the design process.
Here are some good practices.
Related links:
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/11/16/pagination-gallery-examples-and-good-practices/
Emotional Factors Vs Functionality in User Centred Design
Posted by: Jessie Shen on: October 29, 2007
Emotional Factors Vs Functionality, who’s the winner?
Personally I believe it’s a draw, neither of them can win. So people would ask who is the actual winner in a design process then, the answer is usability. According to Norman’s Emotional Design, the emotional factors can enhance the usability in a design process, but it could not replace it. No matter how attractive the design looks, if a user can’t follow the system or the system can’t provide the user with what he/she wants, it is still ‘rubbish’. The similar rule applies to the functionality side as well. A site/software can be extremely powerful that it can perform all sorts of complicated functions. However, if it’s not usable, no one can understand it or follow its process, then the system is again ‘rubbish’.
My Photos
|
