New Facebook, and why you shouldn't always trust users
There's a big fuzz about Facebook's new design, and I personally don't understand why. The new user interface is more intuitive, easier to use, and all the old good features are still there. Is different? Hell yes! Is new? You betcha! Users like different and new? No if the change was on something they already know and use, even if its performance was mediocre. People hate weird changes on software they are comfortable with, especially final users.
This reminds me when we installed the new version of my college's on line shopping web app. Been completely developed by us, it was a huge leap from the old version. It featured a new and improved user interface, a new business model, faster response (God bless modperl!) and some extra features to boost "client satisfaction". We spend a whole week making support videos on how to use the new system, wrote a detailed user guide, and set up an email account for support... the whole package! We thought that everyone will fall in love with the new version, but the history was far from the truth.
The second day of the system been on line we started receiving angry calls/mails from the users. The subjects varied from: "Why the application is so different now?", "Why you changed the old one?", and "I can find anything!!!" to cute stuff like "This new version is a LOAD OF SHIT!!!". When the initial hysteria dissipated, the users main concern was that they couldn't work with the new version, because they didn't knew how to. Of course that they didn't check out neither the user guide nor the video that why made. The users hate that. Users want an application that behaves exactly how they expect to. If something is different or weird, then you are screw. That was our case. Our users preferred the old, slow, ugly and buggy version rather that the new, fast, improved one. When we give some tutoring on how to use the new system, opinions began to change, especially with new users. But still some of the older users preferred the old version, just because they were accustomed to it. There was no win-win situation or a happy ending there.
Resuming, users will always complain with major changes, even if the changes are made for the best. Fortunately in the end they generally will get used to it, especially if everyone continues to use the changed system/app/thingy. I think the Facebook team made a great work with the new face of the site, and uh-oh-oh... their user base is still growing!
Cheers to the loyal, the grumpy, and the new Facebook users. Tune out!
This reminds me when we installed the new version of my college's on line shopping web app. Been completely developed by us, it was a huge leap from the old version. It featured a new and improved user interface, a new business model, faster response (God bless modperl!) and some extra features to boost "client satisfaction". We spend a whole week making support videos on how to use the new system, wrote a detailed user guide, and set up an email account for support... the whole package! We thought that everyone will fall in love with the new version, but the history was far from the truth.
The second day of the system been on line we started receiving angry calls/mails from the users. The subjects varied from: "Why the application is so different now?", "Why you changed the old one?", and "I can find anything!!!" to cute stuff like "This new version is a LOAD OF SHIT!!!". When the initial hysteria dissipated, the users main concern was that they couldn't work with the new version, because they didn't knew how to. Of course that they didn't check out neither the user guide nor the video that why made. The users hate that. Users want an application that behaves exactly how they expect to. If something is different or weird, then you are screw. That was our case. Our users preferred the old, slow, ugly and buggy version rather that the new, fast, improved one. When we give some tutoring on how to use the new system, opinions began to change, especially with new users. But still some of the older users preferred the old version, just because they were accustomed to it. There was no win-win situation or a happy ending there.
Resuming, users will always complain with major changes, even if the changes are made for the best. Fortunately in the end they generally will get used to it, especially if everyone continues to use the changed system/app/thingy. I think the Facebook team made a great work with the new face of the site, and uh-oh-oh... their user base is still growing!
Cheers to the loyal, the grumpy, and the new Facebook users. Tune out!