Compare the following pictures showing the vertical space of each. In each, the usable real estate is highlighted. Both show the most fully maximized view that each offers.

Evernote:

Google notebook:

But that’s an unfair comparison you might say–the Google notebook is clearly taller.As I mentioned earlier, I was giving each the benefit of the doubt, showing the largest online view possible. Google offers a breakout version that strips off the unnecessary chrome and actions, leaving more space devoted to supporting the core function–taking notes.

So, I put together a post called “Hire Your Users: a brainstorming technique” over on the Capstrat blog. To whet your appetite, here’s a snippet:

“Hire Your Users” is technique that would be applied in early discovery to start defining these boundaries. Using the metaphor of a hiring process, it helps design strategists and stakeholders collaborate on who the users are, in what order they should be considered, what they need to accomplish, and how they might do so.

Go check it out, if you have a moment. I’d like to hear your thoughts about this too.

• Multiple pages, with the ability to onion-skin them.
• Basic tools: shapes, lines, text. Of course, they need to remain editable constantly and, oh what the heck, allow me to push and pull them in front of one another.
• Online publishing — something like “share this site”
• Hyperlinks between pages
• Multiple authors and reviewers
• Secure login
• Site tree navigator
• Annotations, like callouts and speech bubbles
• Collapsible notes pane

Some really nice-to-have’s include:

• Multiple sites, with reusable components across them
• Multiple master pages
• A desktop client that can sync up to the site
• Versioning
• Export site to PDF

Maybe there’s something already out there that does the task? Adobe Version Cue has some collaboration tools that I haven’t yet explored. Gliffy does some of this too. Denim is close, but lacks a service to map up to.

Some of the tools that I think do a great job, and would serve as inspiration for this tool include:

• Skitch, because it seamlessly posts images to the web
• Gliffy, for its versioning, collaboration and nice drawing tools

Finally, while I’m at it (and since there’s still lots of time before Christmas), I want a image thumbnail web service. Basically, I send it an image and tell it what size and type of thumbnails I want. Perhaps I even supply it with the crop coordinates. It sends me back a gzipped file with my images. Oh I can wish.

Unfortunately, I can absolutely picture the conversation that led up to this boneheaded ad. But let’s think about it through the eyes of Average Joe, Pandora listener. For Joe to click this ad, he’s going to have to subconsciously or consciously answer the following questions:

1. Do I have such brand affinity towards Wendy’s that I’m willing to adopt their music recommendations? Do they even play music in Wendy’s, by the way?
2. So, if I click this, what do I get? I see an exquisite Baconator. Where’s my 2 for 1 coupon to entice me to schlep down there for this tasty sandwich?
3. What kind of music are they going to play? I like Pandora because there aren’t ads in the music stream. Are they going to try and sell me on a burger while I’m rocking out? This sounds worse than McDonald’s McBLT record campaign
4. What’s the difference between the “Baconator Beatbox” and “Rock Waaay Better”? Should I choose one or the other? Are they exclusive? And, along that vector what will my friends think with Baconater Beatbox showing up in my radio listings?
5. Why are there asterisks? I don’t see any footnotes. Oh yeah, I get it now. The asterisks mean I qualify as a fool under Wendy’s Terms and Conditions if I click this ad.
6. And Baconator Beatbox. Really? That’s terrible. Not even a 10 year old fossilized marketing executive would think that’s cool.

This ad is simply a shame–and even more so because someone got paid a lot of money to make it.

After reevaluating that canned response, I realize I was wrong.

As a UX designer, what I’m really after is trying to make software more pleasurable, which is not the same as easier. Pleasure is larger than that, and includes wonder, exploration and serendipity. Sometimes, easier isn’t always better.

Case in point, I like espresso. Scratch that–I have a real problem with it, in the way that addictions can creep into and start to change a person’s life. I’ve invested in $200+ coffee grinders. I go out of my way to buy beans in small batches from people who roast it that day. I adapt my grind for humidity and time my doppios to hit the 25-27 second mark. I’ve measured my tamp pressure to 30lbs using a bathroom scale. I’ll probably start roasting at home unless someone stops this sordid affair.

For god’s sake, I’ve watched YouTube videos showing shots pulled through naked, bottomless portafilters.

Making espresso is not for the impatient or half-assed. If you want to make it yourself, you’ve got to fully commit. No espresso-head, I argue, would consider pulling a good shot an easy task. All the elements have to be in place. Anything awry–old beans, bad water, weak tamping, too fine or too coarse grind–can lead to swill. I know because I’ve choked it down, and still do so frequently.

But I’m learning.

I love the process simply because it is not easy. Actually, it’s the opposite. It’s a wonderful challenge, with a delicious reward. The learning curve is part of the fun, in a way that mastery of an art should be. If easy was what I was after, I’d head down to the local indie coffeehouse and plunk down my 2 bucks.¹ If I was conducting a usability test on the process, I’d have to conclude that it completely fails. But that disregards the other intangibles, such as the thrill of mastery.

So, to say that “user experience” is always about making things easier isn’t the whole story. User efficiency is definitely a factor, but not singularly so. Delight and engagement–often the byproducts of ease of use–are higher objectives to work toward. It all depends upon the context; ease of use is simply one factor to consider.

¹ This is hypothetical. I haven’t found a place nearby that does a decent job of espresso. I won’t name names, but let’s just say that I’m underwhelmed with what I’ve received at the ITB Raleigh coffeehouses.

The Stage

The stage is a lo-fi, physical space where personas are built and refined. It is designed to evolve and to be a work in progress. Implemented, it resembles a mood board for personas.

Why are we doing this?

Carrying a deep respect for the user throughout a project’s development is critical to user experience design. Knowing who we are designing for is the responsibility of all project members. Much of the information known about the users is contained within the minds of the UX designers. The product– formal persona documents– often do not communicate the research and insights that underpin them. Often, they lack the vivacity needed for others to empathize with the users they represent. Further, they don’t easily engage other parties in the research and design process.

Much of the information that describes the user is secondary to the persona. Quotes, thoughts, misgivings, apprehensions help develop the persona but can be overly summarized to make a tight, succinct document.

Additionally, personas don’t easily invite serendipity and evolution. Research doesn’t stop once a persona document is delivered. As time progresses, inevitably designers better understand users’ behaviors and desires. The Stage invites these small bits of information in an unstructured way. It encourages discussion, change and evolution. Viewers are able to respond to these artifacts and discuss the inferences and conclusions that are drawn.

As a physical space, the Stage asserts itself and demands attention. Permanence and visibility are key to its success. It needs to occupy a space that receives constant foot traffic and where close inspection is encouraged. As a dedicated space, it invites asynchronous interaction where people can respond to it on their own time.

What does it need?

The Stage requires simple ingredients. Foremost is a space to place the material. It should be waist to chest high and (for us) at least 4’ x 4’. The surface should be a surface that can be written on: butcher paper, a whiteboard or similar. Nearby should be a steady supply of post it notes, markers and tape. Materials added to the Stage include screenshots, pictures, quotes, brief bios, research findings and diagrams.

A visitor should be able to glance at it and assemble an idea of the persona without reading a lengthy document. People may feel free to add and remove items from a persona as they see fit. Questions may be added to the board for other designers to react to. Generally, the Stage should resemble a work in progress; it should not appear overly structured or precious. Staying orderly and presentable can discourage others from adding their own input.

The Stage is not a replacement for personas. It exists as a shared sketchbook, the results of which are formalized into the persona documents. During the development cycle, it is a continual reference point for all members of the project team. For people outside the project—clients, visitors, for example—the Stage is a demonstration of user-centered design. It indicates how we involve the user in our approach and serves as a discussion point to further evangelize the need for understanding the user. Succinctly, the Stage helps make the research process more transparent.

Etymology

The name “stage” was borne of two ideas that are relevant to the concept. From theater, the stage connotes a place where characters are presented to an audience. The Stage can also be defined as an intermediate place where concepts are still being explored and refined. Both invoke the spirit and goals of the Stage.

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