Posts by theme: UX
Consider the devices that we use to interact with the Web. Most of the time we use a mouse, keyboard and screen. Sometimes we use small touch-sensitive screens on a phone. Our notebook computers usually have smallish screens. Sometimes we view the Web on large or very large screens. Or use completely different devices like the iPad and video game consoles.
There is an extremely wide range of devices and screen resolutions that we regularly use to interact with the Web.
Now I might be slightly biased because I'm a UX designer, but I believe that wireframes are the foundation of any website project. You might be asking, "But what about the tasklist, features, and requirements of the project? Aren't those the true foundation?" Well, yes, but in my experiece, the true tasks, features and requirements are revealed through the creation and iteration process of wireframing. The great news is with a thoroughly explored and developed set of wireframes a project can begin with a clearly defined destination on the road to success.
It's no secret that many of us here at Palantir are fans of the science fiction genre, in particular the "Star Trek" franchise. Not only are we obsessed with Trek trivia and memorabilia, but every year for Halloween it's a tradition that at least one of us shows up at the office dressed up in Starfleet uniform. Given that, you can well imagine that we were all very excited when representatives of Paramount Films recently approached us about working on the sequel to last year's hit "Star Trek" movie.
Of all the conferences that Palantir attends every year, one of my favorites is the South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas, which is being held this year from March 12-16th. SXSW brings together a wide variety of people from all areas of interactive culture for five days of panel sessions, book readings, film screenings, small conversations, and keynote presentations on a full range of thought-provoking topics (and the parties are pretty good, too!). For the past few years, we've been privileged enough to participate in a number of sessions, and this year is no different.
Everyone knows the top-tier Drupal modules, but with over 5,000 modules available for Drupal it’s no surprise that many useful ones go unnoticed. As a public service to the Drupal community, Palantir is working to raise awareness of some of these unsung heroes.
In part 3 of our ongoing 5,162-part series, we present: Menu Block
The Menu Block module is a little-known module, but has actually been around since June 2008 and is our solution to the limitations in Drupal’s built-in site navigation.
We all have our favorite Web sites that we go to when we want to check the news, drool over the latest gadget, read our favorite blog, or just waste some time online. If you’re like me, you go there and feel right at home because everything is where it should be (or least where you’ve gotten used to it being). Now, think back to the last time one of your favorite sites got redesigned...
Ah! The horror!
Even when done right, a Web site redesign inevitablely requires a major cognitive shift for its existing audience. In order to minimize the impact of this shift while simultaneously creating an experience that will draw in new users, I find that the key is to start the process by asking the question, "Is it obvious?"
In order to avoid overwhelming even the most experienced users, a Web site's visual cues and structure needs to just make sense. Let's start by taking a look at an example from real life:
User experience (UX) design is still one of those fields that is viewed as essential, but mysterious. A strange combination, but everyone loves a good mystery. Looking for a single definition online, in print, or through conversations is nearly impossible, so I have adopted two different versions.