skip to content rich footer

stevenclark.com.au

subscibe to the StevenClark.com.au rss feed

Archive for the 'business' Category

Why Outcasting IE6 is Worst Practice

Saturday, September 6th, 2008

Do you remember when standardistas were eagerly bouncing visitors who used IE6 from their websites? As something I didn’t agree with it was nice to see the hardcore reigned in by sensible guidance - our job isn’t to make the web inaccessible to anyone, regardless of browser. But occasionally, as a true blue multi-browser polygamist, I do run across this mentality accessing sites in IE6. I use numerous browsers, and expect sites to work reasonably in each of them (to a point). Ignore me at your financial peril, I am also a website user. I buy stuff online. In many browsers. From different sites. That’s called business.

The site says something like “Go away asshole - you are an idiot. But, if you do what I want I’ll let you buy one of my tshirts”. Hey buddy you just lost 20 dollars. I’m out of there. If it doesn’t work in a brick and mortar shop how do you think sales will respond where I’m a mouseclick away from forgetting your sorry ass forever. A part of our job is marketing. No? I recoil from the idea I’m simply a technician.

So, when you think about this tactic, it will always be a stupid business decision to bounce users based on their browser. Right? We all agree? No?

Read the rest of this entry »

skip to top of page

Currently Reading

Mental Models by Indi Young (cover)Developing software from the user's perspective as opposed the organisational one is a critical area we need to work on as designers. I'm reading Mental Models by Indi Young, a book about understanding users' reasons for doing things and one system for understanding and designing for those reasons.

It's important to understand that when people visit your website they bring with them their own world view, motivations, experience and expectations. And, by working with those factors, we can improve our game significantly by providing them with what they want and need.