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The lightning storm from the Tonga eruption was unlike anything on record

dredmorbius 5y ago
Since it's a central element to the storytelling here, I'm going to comment on the data visualisation and its time-progress mechanism. About 2/3 of the way through the article there's a graphic showing lightning strikes observed over time. And I'll admit that the presentation is in fact impressive. The mechanic is, however, badly broken, a fad that's persisted for some time, and ultimately one that should be strongly discouraged. We have a UI metaphor for time-based graphic elements. It's called video, and it's best presented by a play/pause/reset control, perhaps also with a speed control. If examining specific points in time is useful, then a horizontal progress slider, displayed as part of the graphic itself is appropriate. This is familiar, intuitive, useful, and does not interfere with the more general task of, you know, reading and scrolling through an article. Instead what the reader here is presented with is not clearly a time-based element, scrolling may or may not advance the page or the visualisation depending on where your browser, Internet obstructor, hamsters, and various other major and minor deities are alligned in bringing forth the presumably ordained order. A reader attempting to scroll up or down past the graphic is thwarted. The horizontal time indicator is not itself a time control. And on touch-based devices, the usual difficulties of registration, response, click-vs-drag, and other frustrations all apply. All this is fascinating UI but dismal UX. Reuter's UI/UX team are clearly clever and capable. They are not wisely guided.
- sizzzzlerz 5y ago
  Excellent observation. On my first visit, I thought it was broken because it wasn’t advancing. I didn’t realize that you needed to scroll until I read your post. I returned and was able to view the whole sequence by scrolling. Clearly, this isn’t the way most users expect it to work and not providing any instructions makes it all the mote mysterious. Even after so many years, web design is still subject to implementers trying what they think is cool or cutting edge not caring that it confuses the fuck out of their users.

Since it's a central element to the storytelling here, I'm going to comment on the data visualisation and its time-progress mechanism. About 2/3 of the way through the article there's a graphic showing lightning strikes observed over time. And I'll admit that the presentation is in fact impressive. The mechanic is, however, badly broken, a fad that's persisted for some time, and ultimately one that should be strongly discouraged. We have a UI metaphor for time-based graphic elements. It's called video, and it's best presented by a play/pause/reset control, perhaps also with a speed control. If examining specific points in time is useful, then a horizontal progress slider, displayed as part of the graphic itself is appropriate. This is familiar, intuitive, useful, and does not interfere with the more general task of, you know, reading and scrolling through an article. Instead what the reader here is presented with is not clearly a time-based element, scrolling may or may not advance the page or the visualisation depending on where your browser, Internet obstructor, hamsters, and various other major and minor deities are alligned in bringing forth the presumably ordained order. A reader attempting to scroll up or down past the graphic is thwarted. The horizontal time indicator is not itself a time control. And on touch-based devices, the usual difficulties of registration, response, click-vs-drag, and other frustrations all apply. All this is fascinating UI but dismal UX. Reuter's UI/UX team are clearly clever and capable. They are not wisely guided.

sizzzzlerz 5y ago
Excellent observation. On my first visit, I thought it was broken because it wasn’t advancing. I didn’t realize that you needed to scroll until I read your post. I returned and was able to view the whole sequence by scrolling. Clearly, this isn’t the way most users expect it to work and not providing any instructions makes it all the mote mysterious. Even after so many years, web design is still subject to implementers trying what they think is cool or cutting edge not caring that it confuses the fuck out of their users.