paper & pencil

Illuminate a Clear Path to Completion

Luke Wroblewski presents the findings of a usability study on Primary & Secondary Actions in Web Forms. What's interesting about the results is that participants performed the task the quickest when there is no visual distinction between the Submit and Cancel buttons. However, in discussions with the participants they said they liked the visual distinctions better as it assured them they were clicking on the right choice. The analysis then is sometimes it's better to slow users down if it will results in less mistakes.

Creative Thinking Hacks

Scott Berkun, back to writing essays, posted an energetic piece on creativity.

All great creative ideas, inventions, and theories are comprised of other ideas. Why should you care? Here’s why: if you want to be a creator instead of a mere consumer you must see ideas currently in the world as fuel for your mind. You must stop seeing them as objects or functional things: they are combinations of ingredients waiting for reuse.

Before he gets to the"hacks" he outlines some key ingredients:

• Combinations
• Inhibitions (overcoming them)
• Environment
• Persistence