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

Keep it simpleKey to successful, simple web interfaces

by Wojtek Kutyla. Photos by Flickr Creative CommonsBarCamp May 2007, Sheffield

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

What is simplicity?

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

“Simplicity is the ultimatesophistication.”

Leonardo da Vinci

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

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

Why is simplicityso important for us?

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

Why is simplicityso important for us?

Because of the USER.

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

10 years ago

Geek

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

10 years ago

Geek rand() bloke

Today

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’task or expect them to think.

It’s you who needsto do it!

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

Softwarez Deathmatch

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

VSphpBB Vanilla

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VSphpBB Vanilla

Cluttered interface

Bad markup

Difficult to modify

Powerful

Big user base

Good support

Nice and clean

Valid markup

Easy to modify

Powerful enough

Young

So-so support

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

So, is simplicity really the key?

Just do it the way you want ;)

Most of the time. Unless your targetreally needs more... And if this is

the case then...

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/