[ID Discuss] Convention versus innovation

[Sandeep Jain]

Thanks for the response. What you say makes sense. 
Let's say the 'innovation' is to improve usability.

For example: the size of toolbar buttons.  There is a
certain size of toolbar buttons that is standard in MS
office applications. Now suppose that I were
re-designing an application, and I wanted to create
much larger toolbuttons, because there were fewer of
them, and I wanted to re-design to convey a "IT's
SIMPLE AND HAS BIG BUTTONS" message...plus the Fitt's
Law advantage.  

Now big buttons isn't exactly an innovation, but it
does violate a graphic design convention in Windows.

Now, how can I argue my case? How did the Netscape
designer argue for big, unconventional toolbar
buttons?
Let's assume that I didn't have browser examples to
give.

Sandeep

--- Leigh Allen-Arredondo
<Leigh.Allen-Arredondo at gettyimages.com> wrote:
> As a lead UI Designer, these are some questions I
> would ask to determine the idea's validity:
> 
> 1) What is the need behind trying a new approach?
> Does it make functionality faster/easier/more
> visible to the user? Does the need outweigh the risk
> that it might not end up being as usable as the
> 'conventional' design?
> 
> 2) Do you have any data that the more 'innovative'
> design is as usable or more usable than the
> conventional design?
> 
> 3) Do you have any evidence that your users want
> something 'innovative'? 
> 
> 4) What are the generally accepted 'UI standards'
> around the functionality you're designing? Are those
> standards changing, or becoming more ingrained? Are
> they different in different countries? Are they
> dependant on technology? All of those questions
> could help you determine whether or not straying
> from the 'microsoft' way might be either helpful or
> a hinderance.
> 
> 5) Is there any published material dealing with the
> item you're designing? That is often a good place to
> get support for a new design if you don't have much
> data yourself.
> 
> Also I would add that if you're unsure of a design's
> usability, and you're comparing it to a
> 'conventional' design that has a known level of
> usability, you'd better test it before you go too
> far down that new path. Business folks are going to
> be wary of change because there IS a risk involved
> -- you have to show that the risk is justified or
> that it isn't as much of a risk as they think. Your
> best argument will be user data!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
>
discuss-interactiondesigners.com-bounces at lists.interactiondesigners.com
>
[mailto:discuss-interactiondesigners.com-bounces at lists.interactiondesigners.com]
> On Behalf Of Sandeep Jain
> Sent: Friday, April 23, 2004 1:34 PM
> To: id-discuss
> Subject: [ID Discuss] Convention versus innovation
> 
> Consistency is touted as an important principle of
> UI
> design.  Arguments are made about focusing on user
> needs, and avoiding stringent adherence to external
> and internal consistencies.  But, nonetheless,
> taking
> advantage of user habits is a good thing for ease of
> learning and intuitiveness etc.
> 
> What is the criteria for choosing an innovative
> design
> over a conventional one? In addition, how does one
> go
> about convincing non-designer, decision makers
> (product managers etc) to take a chance with an
> innovative design?  How does one challenge the
> statement: "But Microsoft doesn't do it that way?"
> 
> To complicate matters, let's say that the context is
> UI design jobs where contact with users is limited
> and
> it isn't easy to get evidence from the field.
> 
> Views on this discussion topic will be much
> appreciated.
> 
> SAndeep
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