Web ignored Lessons from Hypertext, says Expert Bernstein

'We've known since 1990 that colour was a bad idea for links', said Mark Bernstein, founder of Eastgate Systems, the early developer and publisher of hypertexts, as he described how hypertext research was ignored in developing an orthodoxy for the Web. He was speaking at last month's "Dust or Magic" conference in Oxford, on working in the new media industries.

Colour is inappropriate for links as it conflates emphasis and linking, while blue is a particularly bad choice as it is the hardest colour to read, making the link content less obvious, he said.

Consistency in the appearance of links has been an early and enduring part of usability guidelines. However, designers have increasingly ignored calls for broader consistency across the Web as they develop their own set of markers - a move to internal consistency on sites. There has also been a move away from text links generally and, in particular, blue text. Perhaps slowly and in patches, the wheel is being reinvented.

Bernstein also took the opportunity to crticise information architecture: 'IA is a respectable club with which to beat complexity,' he said. 'Information architects are devoted to taming the creatives.'

He was joined in his opinion by other speakers at the conference. Brendan Dawes of Magnetic North likened the work of usability to that of the child-catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. 'When a technology is new, there is a lot of bad taste to start with,' he said, then, quoting Picasso, added: 'but good taste is the enemy of creativity.' Asked if he saw a neo-puritanism developing, he said that he was by nature rebellious. 'But I don't wake up and say 'Jakob Nielsen: you're gonna die', I just have fun...'

Nielsen and an overdependence on guidelines also came in for attack from Chris McEvoy of First Circle (see also The Time and Place for Usability).

HP Labs opens doors to Academia
Source: VNUNet, 10 May 2008
 
HP has unveiled an initiative allowing academic institutions to collaborate with HP Labs in joint research through an open and competitive process.

Email: is it time to get some Training?
Source: UN, 9 May 2008
 
How hard can it be? Apparently lack of email training is costing employers dearly.

Book Review: Mental Models by Indi Young
Source: UN, 8 May 2008
 
A practical, readable and relevant account of key processes in the vital task of researching, building and applying mental models to product design.

CHI '08: What makes a really Great Designer?
Source: System Concepts, 7 May 2008
 
What qualities do elite designers share, and what do they know that other members of the HCI community could benefit from?

Raising the standard of websites worldwide: BSI and Magus launch a new specification
Source: UN, 5 May 2008
 
BSI and Magus have released Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 124 to help organisations manage website standards efficiently and harness their full potential.

Emporia Life Plus phone for the over 50s now available in the UK
Source: UN, 3 May 2008
 
Accessible Handset Distribution (AHD) has announced the availability of the much anticipated Emporia Life Plus mobile phone.

New Ergonomics Society President promotes an ergonomic approach to Usability
Source: System Concepts Ltd, 2 May 2008
 
Tom Stewart,recently appointed President of the Ergonomics Society explains his approach to ergonomics and usability.

Microsoft developing 'senior PC'
Source: BBC, 1 May 2008
 
Microsoft UK is developing a "senior PC", which will have a simple interface and be aimed at older users.

CHI ’08: Tomorrow’s Technology - Throbbing Phones and Squeaky Cheese
Source: UN, 30 April 2008
 
A treasure trove of CHI ’08 was the exhibition of interactivity, where tomorrow’s interfaces are displayed and demonstrated.

So you want to be a UX Manager — Seriously?
Source: UX Matters, 29 April 2008
 
We as an industry should give equal weight to great individual contributors and great managers alike, because a great company needs both.