Never Understimate How Much You Know
Below is a recently popular video from Google that interviews people in Times Square. The interviewer asks a variety of very simple questions about the Internet and receives corresponding variety of very, very wrong answers in repsonse. For example, “What is a browser?” Among people who work with the web and computers, the typical response is to think, “gee, what a bunch of idiots”.
But, I think that’s missing the point: never underestimate how much you know.
If you’re reading this blog, chances are you work with the Internet professionally and understanding the notion of a “browser” is less than Internet 101 to you. But, you have to remember that compared to the average bear, you’re at least five standard deviations away in understanding of the Internet.
I am reminded of a conversation we were having in the office a few weeks ago. Under discussion was the design of a new image gallery, and the debate was over whether or not each picture needed a link that said “select” beneath it. One side said that it’s obvious that you need to simply click a picture to select it, and seeing 25 “select” links on the page looks bad. The other side replied that even though it looks less streamline, we can’t overestimate our users, so we need a clear call to action.
I sided with the later group, and I call this the “lead a horse to water” school of web design. For most users, you need to put the action right in their face in order for them to see it. Especially, for broadly based consumer sites, where the user is far less skilled than you, as an Internet Professional, can imagine.
That’s not a knock on users. I love users; they feed my family. Rather, it’s a compliment to you: the detail and minutiae that you have in the dirt under your the fingernail on your pinky finger is greater than the casual web user has in their whole lifetimes. I’m not saying they’re dumb, just that you’re very experienced.
Just how much you know is something very important to keep in mind when designing your product. Remember that, and you’ll go a long way.