I’ve been asked to write an article for a technology magazine on Web 2.0 and usability. I see it more than just usability, of course (don’t all us UXers?).
Here’s where I’m going:
As businesses rush to follow Web 2.0 ephemera, what effect are applications having on users and their ability to get stuff done? I’d like to look at some of the promises and pitfalls of Web 2.0 from a user experience perspective.
Many innovations come through in Web 2.0 implementations. Users are presented with a wide variety of controllable, malleable, formable experiences. Lightweight engineering solutions break the stranglehold of ponderous approaches that have stifled innovation.
And yet…what is the impact of so many choices? Will the Web 2.0 generation’s epitaph be, “They died with their options open?” When is too much choice too much? In addition, a rush to add the coolest glows and shapes and transitions might win over marketing suits but lose users.
Let’s examine how Web 2.0 principles can help–or hinder–user satisfaction and success. I think we need to open a dialog on enhancing innovation through a grounded understanding of users and their needs.
