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ACM SIGCHI WWW Human Factors (Open Discussion)

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"ACM SIGCHI WWW Human Factors (Open Discussion)" <[log in to unmask]>
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Fri, 11 Feb 2000 08:01:16 -0800
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David Gilmore <[log in to unmask]>
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someone wrote:

>> I've noticed this too; I wonder how much of it is ascribable to the test
>> situation. With someone looking over your shoulder or at you through the
>> glass,  you may not want to click the "wrong" thing and so look dumb.
>>
>> I also wonder if this is more characteristic of new Web or hypertext users
>> rather than more experienced ones who recognize that clicking the "wrong"
>> link is no big deal.

And others suggested that the speed of a network connection may be relevant.

Speed is relevant to almost web issues, but reluctance to explore links is
not only a speed thing.

I suspect a big factor in caution in clicking is a fear of getting lost.
Many people i know open up new browser windows in that situation, so that
the original set of options isn't lost, but that becomes a navigation
nightmare before too long.

For example, if you explore big consumer product company sites (maybe Sony
and Philips, but I haven't been to either for a while) looking for a
particular piece of information, then it is often true that there are lots
of serendipitously interesting links around to. Plus there are many subsites
that all have subtly (or not so subtly) different design.

When a web task involves both information retrieval and true browsing, then
navigation complexity increases dramatically and web browsers haven't really
found much of a solution for this.

Browser upgrades seem to almost exclusively offer more technology, more
nifty features but little in the way of improved user experience - actually
it a long time since this list has had discussion of the user experience of
a browser, rather than the user experience of a site.

Have we all accepted that Explorer is all there will ever be?

If we're only focussed on designing the web sites, are there then real
limits on how much we can do to improve the user experience?

David
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