Nick Finck will explore the characteristics of a great user experience. He'll go over techniques, tips, and tricks for Website design, information architecture, Website interactions, and markup sure to make your users happy. He'll also explain how following the seven commandments can boost your site's ease of use, appeal, conversion rates, and more.

1. e Seven Commandments
of User Experience.
Nick Finck, October 4, 2008
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

3. ?
Who the f#@k is this dude?
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

4. Nick Finck
• Principle & Director of User Experience for Blue Flavor
• Publisher of Digital Web Magazine
• Based in Seattle, Washington
• Over 13 years working in the web field
• Projects: Adobe, Cisco, CitiBank, Converse, FDIC,
HP, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Oprah, PBS, Peet’s Coffee
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

5. ?
What is User Experience?
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

6. UX is the umbrella that covers:
• Accessibility (GAWDs)
• Information Architecture (IAI)
• Information Design (IDA)
• Interaction Design (IxDA)
• Technical Writing (STC)
• Usability Engineering (UPA)
• User Research (HFES)
• Visual Design (AIGA)
• Web Analytics (WAA)
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

7. The First Commandment
It’s All About
e Users
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

8. Photo by Andrea Wiggins
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anikarenina/550438755/
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

9. Who Really Is the User?
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

10. “You are not the user. Neither is your boss.”
- Jessyca Frederick
Director of Product Management,ThisNext
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

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12. ?
But if I don’t listen to
the client or boss,
won’t they will fire me?
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

13. Finding the Sweet Spot
Tec
als
Go
hn
ica
ess
lG
sin
Sweet
oa l
Spot
Bu
s
Customer (or User) Goals
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

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15. The Second Commandment
Avoid Solutioneering
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

16. Identify Problems Before
Finding Solutions
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

17. “Design, by very definition, is the act of solving
problems. In order for anything to be designed well, we
must first identify the problems we are trying to solve
and the goals we are trying to reach.”
- Jeff Croft
Web Designer, Blue Flavor
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

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21. The Third Commandment
Form Always
Follows Function
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

22. “[Design is] adding experience but taking away the
hard edges, and allow people to embrace the tool or
service in a closer interaction.”
- Thomas Vander Wal
Principal, InfoCloud Solutions
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

23. Photo by Tex Texin
http://www.flickr.com/photos/textexin/401742074/
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

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25. The Fourth Commandment
Allow for Failure
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

26. “Failure is not falling down. Failure is not getting up.”
- Nick Finck
Principal, Blue Flavor
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

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28. !
Michael Jordan failed to make his varsity
basketball team
Albert Einstein's teacher described him as
quot;mentally slowquot;
Walt Disney went bankrupt several times
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

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30. The Fifth Commandment
Do Not Imitate,
Innovate
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

31. Pedometer Nike+
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

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37. The Sixth Commandment
Do Not Get in the
User’s Way
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

38. ink about the Context
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

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41. Photo by ATIS547
http://www.flickr.com/photos/albaum/1564680070/
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

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43. Content is Critical
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

44. “On any page with text, make sure most of your best
design efforts account for making that text scanable,
clickable, readable and understandable.”
- Jay Fienberg
Principal, Juxtaprose
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

45. !
95% of web users do not read
80% of your content!
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

46. This doesn’t mean that your
content isn’t important, it
means it’s more important.
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

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48. The Seventh Commandment
Use Your Network
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

49. Always Have A Mentor
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

50. Photo by K.G. Schneider
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kgs/2415050174/
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

51. Be a Connector
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

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53. Don’t be Afraid to Reach
Out for Help
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

54. Forget reference books,
you are here and I have
business cards!
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

55. Thank you!
Come to our party tonight, we’ll get you drunk
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta

56. Seven Commandments of
User Experience.
Nick Finck, October 4, 2008
http://www.blueflavor.com/
http://www.blueflavor.com/blog/
nick@blueflavor.com
Webmaster Jam Session 2008 - Atlanta