one of the most glaring examples of how allowing a Technology Department drive the user interface can HURT your user experience is "icon abuse".
It's so easy to match a functionality with an icon - it's fun, even. If it's a "Save" task icon that's needed we all know the best thing to do is to choose a cute little diskette icon. yes, we get it, it's clever...blah blah blah. "see? a little diskette! see how cute that is?"
But what happens when icons run amuck? Given that a website is filled with such such tasks, my how easy it is to assign a little icon to each and every one!
But don't be rude. The best way to use icons is to use them sparingly so they "pop" more on the page and allow them to be "special" to the end user and allow them find them more easily.
ask yourself these questions:
- Is it possible to leave some of the tasks (gasp!) without an icon?
- Shouldn't the task itself as a hyperlink be enough to tell the user the point, rather than shoving an icon down it's throat?
BTW, here's a great example of a page that uses icons sparingly: http://www.apple.com/safari/download/
Try it next time!
more on how to allow icons to help, not hurt, your interface coming soon!
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Icon Abuse
