Strategy Blog: Viget Labs

Jackson Fox - Senior User Experience Designer :

I’ve been using OmniGraffle as my primary tool for wireframing (and most everything else) for about 3 years. In that time I feel like I’ve gotten pretty good at using it efficiently, but I do try to keep an eye out for new tips and tricks. Recently, I’ve been following along as the documentation geniuses at EightShapes have developed and released their InDesign-based documentation system called Unify. I was intrigued by one idea in particular: keeping wireframes and wireframe documents as separate files.

Continue reading "Managing Wireframes More Effectively in OmniGraffle"

M. Jackson Wilkinson - Former Staffer :

Since my post about line length on the web got a bit of attention, much of it calling for more research, I figured we could help out with that a bit.

We've written up a brief reading comprehension test that can help us figure out if there are conclusions to be made about web text readability in different conditions. It's fast, it features a fun and quirky Cory Doctorow story, and it needs your input.

So head on over to the readability test and spend 10-15 mins to help us gather some great results. While you're at it, try to get everyone you know to take it as well, eh?

Once we've gotten a decent sample, we'll post the results here, so stay tuned.

Kevin Vigneault - User Experience Designer :

The defining characteristic of a password field is that it abstracts text as dots. While the intention of this behavior is understandable (it makes users feel secure and protects from prying eyes), the unintended effect is that it creates a usability problem. Users can't tell if they've entered a password incorrectly until after the site's validation informs them. It's like typing with your eyes closed.

The most common solution for the password field problem on registration pages is to require people to confirm their password in a second field. Again, the intention is understandable (it cuts down on mistakes), but the reality is that sites are requiring people to deal with two password fields. Here's an example of the common solution with some JavaScript validation:

While this isn't a terrible experience, I think there are a few other ways to handle this problem worth exploring. With some inspiration from a post on IxDA.org, I've created three below. Of note, all of these proposed solutions load a password field when the page is generated, so the browser will initially treat them as regular password fields.

Solution #1: Users click a checkbox to show characters

Pros: The decision to show or not show characters is fully at the discretion of the user. Passwords can be edited while characters are displayed.

Cons: It doesn't automatically switch back to a password field. People could accidentally keep it checked while they're filling out the rest of the form, leaving the password susceptible to prying eyes.

Solution #2: Users hold down a button to temporarily show characters

Pros: Users are able to see their password characters if they'd like and cannot accidentally leave the field in the show character state. This solution potentially feels more secure to users than solution #1.

Cons: The downside is that users cannot leave the field in "Show characters" mode while they're editing the field. They can only see what they've entered when the button is pressed down.

Solution #3: The password field automatically changes to show characters

Pros: As a user, this approach would be my personal favorite because it's the easiest option, and you always see your password as you're typing it in. I don't really care about other people seeing what I type, since I rarely find myself in situations where I notice or would expect people to leer at my screen.

Cons: When users first select the field and start typing, it will look and behave like a regular text field -- which may be startling to some. Users will not see that it switches to a password field until after they've entered something and clicked off of it.

Conclusion

None of the solutions presented here are the silver bullet for how to handle password fields in all situations. Depending on your users, your goals for the form, and your willingness to try something a little extraordinary, one of these options may make sense for your site. If anyone has any other ideas for how to handle password fields, I'd love to hear about it in the comments.

Update! April 16, 2009

In response to this post, Stephen Lewis from Experience Internet put together a writeup and demo for another alternative to password confirmation. His works very similarly to the iPhone password input field where the last character is momentarily a character before automatically switching to password "bullet".

Todd Bayliss - Project Manager :

Ok, so I had a great (and effective) marketing tactic used on me this morning. I’m a relatively new coffee/espresso drinker, but I noticed pretty quickly that the barista at this new, non-[major franchise] shop had forgotten the hazelnut syrup I had requested. But, because I still need my sugar fix, I turned around at the end of the parking lot and went back in with the intention of just grabbing a few sugar packets rather than making a fuss. The barista recognized me though, and I felt compelled to mention the oversight. He apologized emphatically and added the syrup; which is really the best I would have hoped for.

The manager, however, overheard the exchange and stepped in to offer me a free sandwich for the error; which, to me, seemed excessive, but an extremely gracious gesture that was good for his up-and-coming business. I protested slightly, but then he hooked me by saying, “Really, it’s fine – you’re a regular.” Now, I’ve only been in this shop four times (granted, three of them were this week), so I’m hardly a “regular.” But, by calling me one, I now felt pressured to actually BE one. On top of that, I was quick to mention the experience to the first person I ran into this morning. I’m spreading the word.

Here at Viget, we strive every day to not just get people to our clients’ sites, but to make them “regulars” on those sites. We propose marketing and social strategies, blogs, content revisions, and design updates to grab people, draw them in, and, hopefully, keep them coming back for more. But, in a fickle, ever-changing online world, how can we ensure that we’re connecting with our core audience? We’ve written before about ways in which customer service and brand personality effect online experiences, but allow me to add another case study to the list.

The Lefsetz Letter focuses largely on the music industry; but, in a post this week, Bob Lefsetz recounts an experience he had with one of my personal favorite e-commerce sites for outdoor gear.

I immediately received an e-mail confirmation that said "Get stoked - most items ship within 24 hours." That’s how they talk on the hill. But most e-commerce sites use the traditional phrases, vetted by attorneys to avoid any and all lawsuits. These companies are not run by humans, but computers. Just try to complain when you’ve got a problem. And then, three hours later, came another e-mail. With the above quote. Yes, "Holy crap. Your stuff just shipped." Wasn’t I supposed to wait ten days for them to make money on my money? They ship within twenty four hours? But what truly sold me was the irreverence. Real people work at Tramdock.com. Or at least real people wrote the computer scripts.

And those are the keys. Mr. Lefsetz was not only able to make that connection between the company that was trying to make money from him and the people who are actually behind that company, but they exceeded his expectations as well.  So with a necessary focus on keywords and SEO to get people to our sites, how do we bridge the gap between marketing and personality in order to keep them there?

Bob closed with this:

Play to your core. If you deserve to be bigger, your fans will spread the word. And don’t be afraid of offending those not in the loop. They don’t matter.

In the end, he “gets” what I “get” about this site. Backcountry gear isn’t for everyone, so why try to speak to everyone? Find a voice that speaks to your core audience, exceed their expectations, and your “regulars” will do the work for you.

Easy enough, right?

M. Jackson Wilkinson - Former Staffer :

Nearly everyone was surprised (not shocked, but surprised) over the weekend to find out that Google had been building its own browser for months now, named Chrome, slated for release today. The goal was ostensibly to rethink the typical web browser and build a new one from scratch designed to cater to the current and future generation of the web. When Google moves into an established space with a completely new product offering, you know they're not messing around, and Chrome definitely deserves to be taken seriously. Even its announcement has already started to change the way we think about the web. Read on to find out how.

Continue reading "What Google Chrome Already Means to the Web"