Keep it simple
Key to successful, simple web interfaces
by Wojtek Kutyla. Photos by Flickr Creative Commons
BarCamp May 2007, Sheffield
http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

What is simplicity?
http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

“Simplicity is the ultimate
sophistication.”
Leonardo da Vinci
http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

Why is simplicity
so important for us?
http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

Why is simplicity
so important for us?
Because of the USER.
http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

10 years ago
Geek
http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

10 years ago Today
Geek rand() bloke
http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

Users’ approach to simplicity:
- We want small and fast stuff. Now.
- Information overload sucks.
- The less we know, the happier we are.
- Less clicks = more happiness.
- Spare me this IT b00lshit, please.
http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

How can we achieve that?
- Test your interfaces. They can always
be improved.
- Don’t fall into complexity abyss.
- Listen to your users.
- Give them what they need, not what
you think they need.
http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

Remember, UI expert
Give your user control, but don’t
ask or expect them to think.
It’s you who needs
to do it!
http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

Softwarez Deathmatch
http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

phpBB Vanilla
VS
http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

phpBB Vanilla
VS
Cluttered interface Nice and clean
Bad markup Valid markup
Difficult to modify Easy to modify
Powerful Powerful enough
Big user base Young
Good support So-so support
http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

So, is simplicity really the key?
Most of the time. Unless your target
really needs more... And if this is
the case then...
Just do it the way you want ;)
http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

Conclusions
- Identify your users’ needs by the research
and usability tests
- Minimise the information overload
- If you think it’s simple enough - it’s not :)
- Don’t try to build a perfect interface
Just build a good one!
http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

Remember one thing
rand() bloke won’t get geeky
http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

Remember one thing
rand() bloke won’t get geeky
but you won’t get rand() either ;)
http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/

http://www.kutyla.com/keepitsimple/