Ron and his team ran some A/B testing online that compared a traditional Web form layout with a narrative "Mad Libs" format. In Vast.com's testing, Mad Libs style forms increased conversion across the board by 25-40%. —Luke Wroblewski
I am still thinking through all implications. I thought it refreshing when I first saw this style on huffduffer.
In a sense, you could say that the brilliance of a good designer is not defined by her ability to represent the world as she sees it, but by her trained ability to represent it as others expect to see it. —Nishant Kothary of UX Mag
Richard Rutter chimes in on the continued debate sparked by Elliot Jay Stocks:
There needs to be a common vocabulary and understanding of all disciplines. Conversations are required; discussion and compromise. The best compromises are reached when both sides understand the issues of the other. —Richard Rutter
I agree with this 100%. I am in the camp that a web designer should know HTML/CSS. Even if they never have to build out a site, it gives them knowledge and insight into how to find the right people to do the job.
What I like most about his quote is the need for a common understanding. I can apply this same process for web programmers. I could easily hire an excellent programmer, but if they don't understand HTML/CSS/JavaScript, they become a liability in building a quality web application. At that point, it doesn't matter how good of a programmer they are if they can't professionally implement the necessary features. These are necessary tools of the trade.
Complexity breeds usability problems. It’s impossible to add features to an application without making the interface more complex. —Josh Walsh of Designing Interactive
They say you don't get a second chance to make a first impression, and on the Web it's truer than ever. If you don't capture the attention of new visitors from the moment they arrive and guide them on their initial journey through the site, they won't learn that the benefit you provide outweighs the cost—their time and effort to participate—and as a result, won't stick around very long. Worse, they'll tell their friends not to bother visiting, either. —UX Magazine
Ordering this book today and excited to read it.
A lot of these fans and followers are faux. Sunny day friends. In one experiment I did, 200,000 followers led to 25 clickthroughs. Ouch. —Seth Godin
This is excellent advice for small businesses trying to figure out how to best use social media (if they even should). The goal is not to talk at people, but to talk with people. Simply having fans or followers does not equate success. This noise can change the language and tone of businesses who could have otherwise reached truly interested people. Don't focus on the faux followers.
Jonathan Christopher of Monday by Noon has given his site a nice refresh. Jonathan has always had a site that I would click through from my feed to read the articles on his site, and I absolutely love the new digs.
These questions, I believe, are at the heart of the successful use of Twitter. Individuals who are most skilled at using this peculiar 140-character medium are those who do notice the small details of life, who capture the moments that others of us miss, who slow down to watch and listen while most race on, and who personalize the events they see. —Found via Bokardo
The 20/30 Club is hosting an unprecedented weekend event this February. Scores of Web developers, programmers, graphic designers and other passionate members of the community are coming together for a weekend to build a Web site for the Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club. At the end of the weekend, the new site will debut. Once polished and launched after the event, the source code will be shared with any Northeast Ohio young professional group who asks. —Advance 2030 Project
Interested in being involved and it fits into your schedule? Take a look at the structure of the current teams, and then register for the event.
Love today's post by Mr. Godin.
The lizard brain adores a deadline that slips, an item that doesn't ship and most of all, busywork.
These represent safety, because if you don't challenge the status quo, you can't be made fun of, can't fail, can't be laughed at. And so the resistance looks for ways to appear busy while not actually doing anything. —Seth Godin
He finishes up with a powerful sentence (emphasis added by me):
Busy does not equal important. Measured doesn't mean mattered.