Comments on: How to create metaphors that enhance user experience http://smyword.com/2009/08/how-to-create-metaphors-that-enhance-user-experience/ Writing and content strategy for small businesses Mon, 01 Mar 2010 03:07:39 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: Gabriel http://smyword.com/2009/08/how-to-create-metaphors-that-enhance-user-experience/#comment-33 Gabriel Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:18:24 +0000 http://smyword.com/?p=293#comment-33 Kevin – great ideas. Given a larger budget ... Gavin – good question. If only words would mean the same thing to everyone who uses our web sites! Some more blog posts in there I think. Margot – I love that idea, the silent metaphor. I'm putting it into practise already. Jeffrey – Thanks for stopping by and for the compliment. Mia – Good point. What would you use instead? Kevin – great ideas. Given a larger budget …

Gavin – good question. If only words would mean the same thing to everyone who uses our web sites! Some more blog posts in there I think.

Margot – I love that idea, the silent metaphor. I’m putting it into practise already.

Jeffrey – Thanks for stopping by and for the compliment.

Mia – Good point. What would you use instead?

]]> By: Mia http://smyword.com/2009/08/how-to-create-metaphors-that-enhance-user-experience/#comment-32 Mia Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:11:19 +0000 http://smyword.com/?p=293#comment-32 I was filling in an enquiry form at a printing site the other week and they used the 'add to cart' metaphor for submitting the query. They must have been using their e-commerce platform to handle enquiries as well as orders. It was very strange and totally inappropriate. I am curious about when the floppy disk metaphor will no longer be used for 'save', given floppies are long redundant and many Gen Y peeps have never seen a physical one before. I was filling in an enquiry form at a printing site the other week and they used the ‘add to cart’ metaphor for submitting the query. They must have been using their e-commerce platform to handle enquiries as well as orders. It was very strange and totally inappropriate.
I am curious about when the floppy disk metaphor will no longer be used for ’save’, given floppies are long redundant and many Gen Y peeps have never seen a physical one before.

]]> By: Jeffrey MacIntyre http://smyword.com/2009/08/how-to-create-metaphors-that-enhance-user-experience/#comment-31 Jeffrey MacIntyre Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:35:05 +0000 http://smyword.com/?p=293#comment-31 This is simply lovely, Gabriel. Look forward to following your work more closely in the future. This is simply lovely, Gabriel. Look forward to following your work more closely in the future.

]]> By: Margot Bloomstein http://smyword.com/2009/08/how-to-create-metaphors-that-enhance-user-experience/#comment-30 Margot Bloomstein Tue, 18 Aug 2009 22:33:52 +0000 http://smyword.com/?p=293#comment-30 Love this! I'm a big fan of using metaphor to advance the design concept and content strategy. I've found it's helpful to identify a metaphorical object, consider its attributes, but then put it on a shelf--instead, focus just on the attributes. E.G., a long-standing financial institution may offer the security of an envelope under your mattress, but it's better to focus on the qualities of that mattress--comfort of knowing right where it is, ease of 24/7 access, no risk with other people managing it--rather than the mattress itself. Those qualities can give cues to a color palette and editorial tone that are warm and comforting. Thanks for a thought-provoking post. Love this! I’m a big fan of using metaphor to advance the design concept and content strategy. I’ve found it’s helpful to identify a metaphorical object, consider its attributes, but then put it on a shelf–instead, focus just on the attributes. E.G., a long-standing financial institution may offer the security of an envelope under your mattress, but it’s better to focus on the qualities of that mattress–comfort of knowing right where it is, ease of 24/7 access, no risk with other people managing it–rather than the mattress itself. Those qualities can give cues to a color palette and editorial tone that are warm and comforting.

Thanks for a thought-provoking post.

]]> By: Gavin http://smyword.com/2009/08/how-to-create-metaphors-that-enhance-user-experience/#comment-28 Gavin Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:13:59 +0000 http://smyword.com/?p=293#comment-28 Brilliant piece. I wonder at what point the term 'Basket' loses its primary meaning however and just becomes a generic term, disconnected from a physical object. A few years your junior, it doesn't jar as much with me. Brilliant piece. I wonder at what point the term ‘Basket’ loses its primary meaning however and just becomes a generic term, disconnected from a physical object. A few years your junior, it doesn’t jar as much with me.

]]> By: Kevin http://smyword.com/2009/08/how-to-create-metaphors-that-enhance-user-experience/#comment-26 Kevin Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:13:18 +0000 http://smyword.com/?p=293#comment-26 something like wishlist, but how about giving the ability to rank them in order of favourite, make your list of requirements and tick them off as they match up. Some requirements are set in stone and you'd be happy to compromise on the bathtub if there's room to build an extension (for example). Let people make notes on each property, let them tick "dream home" on the one they like best, rank them in top 10 order like I do my movies on lovefilm dot com. If I was shopping for a home I'd love a facebook app that linked in with homes on the market. I'd created my categories of prerequisiites, likes, musts, coulds, shoulds and free text notes to write about each property. Then I'd send a link to my significant other for the whole list so she could comment and add to the list as well. I'd send a "read only" link to some frends of a few houses I really like (or for giggles some that are horrible or funny) then I'd post to my profile for everone to see and join me in celebrating when I complete on my "dream house". something like wishlist, but how about giving the ability to rank them in order of favourite, make your list of requirements and tick them off as they match up. Some requirements are set in stone and you’d be happy to compromise on the bathtub if there’s room to build an extension (for example). Let people make notes on each property, let them tick “dream home” on the one they like best, rank them in top 10 order like I do my movies on lovefilm dot com.

If I was shopping for a home I’d love a facebook app that linked in with homes on the market. I’d created my categories of prerequisiites, likes, musts, coulds, shoulds and free text notes to write about each property. Then I’d send a link to my significant other for the whole list so she could comment and add to the list as well. I’d send a “read only” link to some frends of a few houses I really like (or for giggles some that are horrible or funny) then I’d post to my profile for everone to see and join me in celebrating when I complete on my “dream house”.

]]>