5 ms·

Google UX=Dismal

5 points by Sami_Lehtinen 12y ago

onion2k 12y ago
But because the field jumps and the Google Search button disappears, it serves absolutely no purpose on the page. If you try clicking on it before typing a search argument, it does nothing. The fact an element doesn't do anything isn't necessarily a reason to remove it. The 'useless' Google Search button serves an important purpose - it acts as a design continuation, connecting the Google search page of the past with the Google of today. If the button wasn't there a user who doesn't visit Google very often (eg most users, because the Google homepage isn't the main entry point to search any more) would wonder how to submit the form before they typed anything, and consequently might not type anything because they'd be thinking "what do I do once I've typed something?" The "useless" button is essentially a placebo that makes the user think nothing has changed. That is far from useless.
- DominikD 12y ago
  You never get to click it though, unless you disable "Google Instant predictions". But it's not the default on majority of the devices out there so it is in fact technically useless. But sure, it's a placebo and for that reason Google's UI won't change. Comments on LinkedIn clearly show that people conflate habits with good UI. But I don't think it's fair to say that search button's existence is useful. It... just is there, that's all. :)
  - onion2k 12y ago
    An element is useful if it does something. In the case of the non-functioning Google Search button, what it does is help the user feel that the box they're about to interact with leads somewhere. Effectively it turns the text entry box in to a search feature. It's a cognitive shortcut - rather than Google labelling the text entry box, they've included a button that tells the user "This text box functions the same as it always has" while the real functionality has changed. That, in my opinion, is useful.
deleted 12y ago
[deleted]

5 ms·

Google UX=Dismal

5 points by Sami_Lehtinen 12y ago

onion2k 12y ago
But because the field jumps and the Google Search button disappears, it serves absolutely no purpose on the page. If you try clicking on it before typing a search argument, it does nothing. The fact an element doesn't do anything isn't necessarily a reason to remove it. The 'useless' Google Search button serves an important purpose - it acts as a design continuation, connecting the Google search page of the past with the Google of today. If the button wasn't there a user who doesn't visit Google very often (eg most users, because the Google homepage isn't the main entry point to search any more) would wonder how to submit the form before they typed anything, and consequently might not type anything because they'd be thinking "what do I do once I've typed something?" The "useless" button is essentially a placebo that makes the user think nothing has changed. That is far from useless.
- DominikD 12y ago
  You never get to click it though, unless you disable "Google Instant predictions". But it's not the default on majority of the devices out there so it is in fact technically useless. But sure, it's a placebo and for that reason Google's UI won't change. Comments on LinkedIn clearly show that people conflate habits with good UI. But I don't think it's fair to say that search button's existence is useful. It... just is there, that's all. :)
  - onion2k 12y ago
    An element is useful if it does something. In the case of the non-functioning Google Search button, what it does is help the user feel that the box they're about to interact with leads somewhere. Effectively it turns the text entry box in to a search feature. It's a cognitive shortcut - rather than Google labelling the text entry box, they've included a button that tells the user "This text box functions the same as it always has" while the real functionality has changed. That, in my opinion, is useful.
deleted 12y ago
[deleted]