UKNM: two launches and two funerals

[Chris Locke]

What a week.


So, whilst we are arguing a little about innovation vs experience, I think

it's fair to summarise that the opinion is that Smile & Boo have both

launched without fully realising their potential.  For whatever I'm worth,

I think this is because of two faults that each site demonstrates.  Indeed,

they're almost textbook examples:


1 - Smile & Java.

Java may well have been chosen to surround the user experience and

communication in a cloak of security, but the site feels as though the Java

decision was made very early on and every decision from then on was made to

fit around that.  There is no reason to put low-security mail for your

customer onto a bespoke system on your site unless you're a)Hotmail (cheap

jibe, that) or b)craving for page impressions.  Smile needs to redesign to

catch up to Egg standards, and fast.


2 - Boo and everything.

The UI just doesn't work.  And whilst it's innovation may be justifiably

praised, it may be foolhardy to innovate that much when you have big,

anxious backers who've invested a fortune for a site that's already late.

I think it's spurious to continue to use Boo as a stick to beat Flash with,

as actually Flash is just one of it's problems.  Ultimately, it seems, the

thing that might kill the business overall is price . . .


Me, I'm waiting for the BBC News Online relaunch, who I know have been

doing strenuous user-testing for *months* to tweak an already successful

site and make it ready for the future.  They're lucky to have (and have

had) such a great team, and the Playboy Matt Jones is as clued-up as UI

designers get in the UK (and that's a drink he owes me).  But it's the

process and user-testing that makes me confident to predict we'll be

lavashing plaudits on the site in the coming weeks.  


It's the *user-testing*, stupid.  It works, so do it.


Chris.



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