Comments on: Usefulness + Speed = Users

By: fantasai

fantasai — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:30:02 +0000

I’m with Arthur on the clocks, too. For railway stations I’d prefer a digital clock, but I’m more comfortable with an analog wristwatch. I also often find it easier to do time conversions on an analog wristwatch because I can do them geometrically.

By: AndyEd

AndyEd — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:02:05 +0000

I created a mockup of a hybrid digital and analog clock some years ago: http://surfmind.com/lab/flash/.....clock.html.

While digital is easier to read, sometimes the user goal is less precise and the overall shape of the analog clock may render a quicker assessment.

Regarding the bigger issue, this is a good insight. There’s a lot more to the picture, but the role of design and novelty in attracting users is often over-estimated.

By: Havvy

Havvy — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:21:13 +0000

You would think the concept is so simple…

Just make sure the site isn’t ugly. It doesn’t have to look good. Have usability in it, and make sure it goes fast.

By: Phil

Phil — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 14:09:10 +0000

I’m with Arthur on this one.

Whilst it may be easier to glance at your digital watch and tell an enquiring passer-by that the time is 12:15, a mre half-hour later you’ll be doing some mental arithmetic and translating what your digital device tells you into the phrase “it’s a quarter to one”.

Once you’ve learnt it, an analogue watch is far easier than a digital one.

Phil, proud owner of a watch with moving hands.

By: Arthur

Arthur — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 11:25:08 +0000

While I agree on your points about usefulness and speed I do think that the clock is a really bad example. A well designed analog clock (e.g. the swiss railways clock, http://farm1.static.flickr.com.....f6d929.jpg) gives you all the desired information immediately. A digital clock is only faster if you want to read an exact time quickly to someone else: “It’s 13:16″ (or ” “It’s 1:16 pm” for those who can’t count that far ). But the analog clock immediately tells you that you have three quarters of an hour left until the next full hour, that it’s early afternoon (clear from context) etc. I often just glimpse at an analog clock without really “reading the time”, but just judging “the progress of the time of day”. This more subtle way of gaining time information requires more thinking on your part with a digital clock.

By: bp

bp — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 10:14:18 +0000

If 3.0 ever comes out. The development process has certainly not been speedy.

By: ignacio

ignacio — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 07:04:53 +0000

“aesthetic”. And your email validator is broken.