WYSIWYG is dead go with the flow

Since the birth of window based user interface (MAC, Microsoft Windows) application designers have adopted the What You See Is What You Get approach to creating User Interfaces. Visual Basic was one of the early tools to provide a canvas onto which a screen can be drawn by simple drag and drop of screen elements on top of the canvas. “Property” sheets allowed these controls to be specialised/designed further for example change font, size, captions etc. This paradigm of development has since stuck with us, and this post questions whether this is right and whether this is the future?

Most corporates have started to standardise front end screens to be developed in browser technology for the right reasons such as; cross platform, ease of distribution, zero install. As expected tools vendors have provided good support for browser application development. However does the WYSIWYG paradigm apply? Should you still create browser screens in the same way as desktop applications?

Browser applications typically use a “flow layout” whereby the screen layout changes according to the size of the browser window. This is very useful because users could have different screen sizes, or browser settings (e.g. lots of toolbars) or even be viewing the application on a mobile device. Using a flow layout means that screen layout will change according to the users browser window size, thereby automatically handling each of the differences above.

Using this approach however means that creating a screen using a drag and drop approach onto a canvas does not necessarily give you a view of the final screen layout, hence you have to question whether now WYSIWYG is the right development paradigm for browser applications.

Another issue is that different browsers sometimes interpret the browser differently, causing screens to appear in differently across different browsers.

There is also the issue that “look and feel” is actually separated from the screen code into a style sheet, and a screen may be presented using different syle sheets, Hence displaying a form could be drastically different depending on the stylesheet used ( some great examples of this can be seen at http://www.csszengarden.com/ ).

With the above in mind is it time for a new approach? Perhaps using a more “real time design” approach. With such a tool, users would create screens and then run them to see how they would be rendered in different browsers, devices and screen sizes. With the proliferation of devices a multi-channel approach is becoming core to many organisations, and in such a world screen sizes will vary greatly, a new approach is required for creating screens because now the paradigm has changed to What You See Is What You Might And Most Probably Wont Get.

Buying usability

Buying online should be convenient and simple. Rather than having to traipse around town centres or retail parks in the pouring rain, customers should be able to buy from the comfort and convenience of a broadband-connected computer.

Time and again, however, many users are left frustrated by a poor quality customer experience. In an attempt to boost customer satisfaction, how can businesses balance design, security and usability to ensure a high quality experience?

Your first port of call should be the town centre. Think of your favourite shops and think about how they draw customers in, while keeping practices safe and secure. And the most successful shops are not always bright and flashy; sometimes calm and sedate is best.

Not every customer will have a high-speed connection, offering fast download speeds and an enjoyable experience. Load you site with power-sapping graphics or video and you will soon leave clients dismayed and disappointed.

Instead, keep things simple and enjoyable. Signposting should be clear, advertising unobtrusive and inconspicuous. Security, meanwhile, should not act as a significant barrier to purchasing.

Research shows that one in 10 consumers have defected to another company after feeling frustrated at the security procedures on a site, while 31% would use a site less frequently if they encountered login problems (see further reading, below).

The answer, as ever, is finding the right balance. Wherever possible, security features should be hidden to ensure that layers of passwords that can cause frustration do not complicate online purchasing.

When you look to refresh your security measures, aim for techniques that subtly ensure the customer is the right customer. Find ways to monitor behaviour discretely, such as checking IP addresses are consistent.

And when it comes to refreshing the look and feel of the web site, remember that usability is king. Adding more buttons to an interface is not necessarily a good thing; simplicity and standardisation will keep clients happy.

Find strong customer advocates that know your business and its potential weak points. Ask them what they believe needs to be refined and tuned. As in the case of a high street shop front, your customers need to like what they see.

If they do, they’re more likely to have an enjoyable experience – and to make that all-important purchase.

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Further reading

http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/analysis/2245457/security-versus-usability

The browser is your new operating system

It is a theory that has been talked about for a while: why use an operating system on your desktop, when everything you need can be run through your browser?

Theory is about to become reality, due to a confluence of a number of critical factors – notably the prevalence of cloud computing, new coding technologies and social software.

Recent estimates suggest that many individuals often use no more than five native applications on their desktop, such as word processing, email and a messaging client (see further reading, below).

Most other applications are increasingly being run through the browser. The move to the web is already considerable. Just think of your favourite social networking, music streaming and photo sharing applications – rather than click an icon on your desktop, you enter your browser and login to your chosen site.

The transition is only likely to become more prevalent. Cloud computing – the use of software and services on-demand over the internet – is currently more about hype than real life implementation. Expect that to change.

Leading firms – notably media companies such as the Guardian and the Telegraph – are using the Premier Edition of Google’s Apps product to access key enterprise applications online.

Other businesses are beginning to explore how they can use the cloud as a cost effective test bed for development projects, where failures are forgotten and successes quickly rolled-out across the rest of the business.

The success of the cloud will depend on the willingness of companies to try new business models. Another crucial factor that is sometimes overlooked is the importance of protocols and standardisation.

Because of a legacy of off-the-shelf packages and unwillingness to give up market share, too many vendors remain welded to specific products and technical flavours. It is a short-sighted view.

The world is moving online and what will help push the success of on-demand computing through the browser is the willingness of vendors to work in a more open and collaborative manner.

Companies need to adopt consistent coding technologies, such as HTML 5 – the next revision of the web development language. Consistency will allow users to run web applications that include core functions, including drag and drop and offline storage, without the need to run plug-ins.

Microsoft recently announced its plans to release the European versions of its forthcoming Windows7 operating system without the Internet Explorer browser, in order to comply with the European Commission’s laws (see further reading).

For those celebrating choice and openness, the move is a step in the right direction. But in the long-term, the significance of any operating system is likely to be curtailed by the power of the winning web browser.

Further reading

http://www.itpro.co.uk/610939/is-the-web-becoming-the-operating-system

http://media.cbronline.com/news/microsoft_to_sell_european_versions_of_windows7_without_browser_120609

Are desktop applications dead?

Last month, I wrote about the potential benefits of web browser based-computing. This month, I go further and explain why we should all turn to the web.
Sometimes providers might be slow to place enterprise software in the cloud, making it harder to convince your workers to use browser-based applications.
But just because it is harder, should we avoid browser-based software? Open, easily adaptable, easily accessible – what excuse is there for still using desktop apps?
When it comes to working online, workers have one big fear – losing connectivity. It is all well-and-good having network access but what is the point if you lose access and lose your information?
Google users discovered the annoyance that comes with losing access to online applications recently, when the provider’s popular Gmail software was unavailable for a few hours.
Such problems are not great, but what would you rather trust? Your own email application running on a small data centre, or Google’s Gmail service that is backed by the world’s biggest infrastructure?
Like problems with offline access, some users are often put off browser-based software because of security concerns. IT consultancy firm Avanade recently found that, by a 5-to-1 ratio, respondents trust existing internal systems over cloud-based systems.
But like concerns with online access, the hype surrounding security is often more significant than the real life problems. Providers specialising in cloud-based security make it their business to ensure information is protected.
Can you say the same for internal staff, many of who have other business priorities and could – either intentionally or unintentionally – leave the door open to your priceless information?
Finally, some IT leaders are put off by business economics. Why would you choose to use browser-based computing when there is a smaller range of applications to choose from?
Again, the theory is quickly becoming redundant. From Salesforce.com’s first foray into online software through to Google’s Premier version of its apps suite, IT leaders now have a broad range of online choices.
And the choices are only likely to become greater, as more providers start to push their software into a highly resilient cloud. Start looking at web-based options now – because the earlier you start analysing your options, the larger your competitive edge on your opposition

Further reading

Gmail offline for some users

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7934443.stm

Security concerns for cloud computing

http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2009/03/27/235439/security-concerns-for-cloud-computing.htm

Wake up to the power of the web browser

Are you still using the desktop; still choosing to access enterprise applications through Windows?

It can be difficult to break away from accepted ways of working. Managing such a break is even more complicated when the business is bamboozled by a series of marketing buzzwords.

The big hype of the moment is cloud computing, a generic term used to describe the provision of scalable enterprise services over the web. Rather than having to access applications through a traditional desktop interface, businesses can use the cloud to host applications and store data.

As many as nine out of ten C-level executives know what cloud computing is and what it can do, according to a recent survey by consultancy Avanade and Kelton Research (see further reading, below).

But at the same time, 61% of senior managers are not currently using cloud technologies. For the majority, it is probably time you woke up to the power of the web browser.

Working through a web browser is no longer a niche activity. Salesfore.com and Google Apps are high profile and popular examples of how users can access applications through a web browser.

Such cloud-based software suites mean users can enter the browser and work collaboratively on essential documents. The high quality of services also means users can also benefit from the functionality of traditional desktop software, such as drag and drop, and multiple interfaces.

There are still issues to overcome, of course. Some businesses remained concerned about hosting information outside the corporate firewall. And recent problems with Google Mail show how failure of the cloud could derail essential business processes.

Such issues mean providers will have to develop secure methods for accessing browser-based applications offline, as well as online. However, such problems are minimal given the quick development of cloud computing.

Businesses often need a high profile sponsor to help push new technologies. When it comes to browser-based apps, there can be no more prestigious supporter than Vivek Kundra, the new CIO of the United States and a confirmed fan of Google Apps (see further reading).

What’s more, the recession is likely to push interest in cost effective and hosted applications. The Avanade and Kelton research also found that 54% of executives use technology to cut costs.

In these economically sensitive times and with an increasing high level of functionality, the web browser can help your IT department provide a great customer experience.

Further reading

Cloud computing is a two-edged sword
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Gardner/?p=2841

The new US CIO is a fan of Google Apps
http://blogs.computerworld.com/obama_cio_vivek_kundra_white_house_cio

Twitter is the perfect mobile app

It’s been bubbling under the surface for a while, but now everyone is Twittering.

From Stephen Fry to Barack Obama, a roll call of famous and not-so-famous individuals are logging on to social networking site Twitter and providing a mini blog of their everyday lives.

With individuals choosing to communicate and break information on this fast-moving platform, Twitter could have significant implications for issues of accessibility and customer experience.

But as the media hypes Twitter within an inch of its life, let’s take a deeper look at this ‘latest and greatest information revolution’. The platform certainly provides a format for instant communication and collaboration.

But what’s really different about this application? Is the mix of updates and messaging anything different, or – more importantly – anything better?

Probably not, when used in isolation as a web-based application. Users update their profiles with 140 characters; it’s a concept that will already be familiar to Facebook users. The fast-paced mode of interaction between users, meanwhile, will be familiar to instant messaging addicts.

What is different is the potential portability of the application. Facebook is more than an update – it’s a portal for photos, games and comment. It’s also a portal best viewed through the desktop.

Depth also hamstrings other social software platforms, such as wikis and LinkedIn. Both formats provide a useful format for detailed knowledge and collaboration that is more easily viewed through the PC.

Twitter is different because it is best experienced as a mobile application. Specially-written APIs, such as TwitterMobile and TwitterBerry, allow users to receive updates on the move.

And because the format of Twitter is so simple, it’s convenient to view information and respond using mobile devices. Twitter is all about updates; it should be about the here and now of a specific moment in time.

More consumable than most blogs and social networks, Twitter is the perfect mobile app. In fact, why text when you can ‘direct message’ through Twitter and connect with a much broader range of contacts?

If the mobile is the future of the computer, then Twitter could be the social application of choice for a portable generation.

Why create portals when you can create a composite application?

Why create portals when you can create a composite application?

 

As I mentioned in an earlier post on usability issues, next generation portals will be unlikely to provide useful access to information unless IT managers take control of infrastructure issues.

 

By their inherent nature, portals require users to run multiple sessions on screen; each portal application requires a different connection to the back-end infrastructure.

 

If you’re running many applications in one portal, the strain on your network and hardware can be unbearable. So, why bother with portals?

 

Well, a well-implemented portal can help present essential information to essential users. But you have to get your approach right.

 

First things first – identify the process you want to solve. Whether it’s supply-chain management or customer service, recognise the information that will help drive increased business intelligence.

 

As you strive to create the right approach, don’t think of a portal as a bunch of separate applications that are best served by in-house storage assets.

 

If you do, the aforementioned information strain on your servers is likely to be unbearable. Instead, look to client side session management and keep data in the browser, rather than on the server (see my earlier blog posting in ‘Further reading’, below, for more details).

 

Then recognise that most of your users will have a small screen estate that cannot readily support four or five open windows.

 

Even if your back-end infrastructure can stand the strain of running simultaneous applications, your users’ eyes won’t – and as soon as key executives are straining to see detail, hopes for increased usability and high efficiency start to disappear.

 

Remember, that one process should mean one application. Pushing multiple sessions is not an intelligent way to provide clarity on your key business process.

 

Don’t think of your portal as a jigsaw, where small elements create a bigger and more effective whole. Instead, start with the process in-mind, and create a composite picture that includes all the functionality needed to solve your business concern through a single mashed-up application.

 

Analyst Gartner suggests mash-ups could emerge as an alternative to horizontal portals. I would go further and suggest that composite applications are the future of portals.

 

Giving users the power to create mash-ups through the browser will increase the effectiveness of your information push and reduce the strain on your servers.

 

 

Further reading:
http://dharmeshmistry.wordpress.com/2008/07/18/client-side-session-management/

Don’t lose your temper with Cross Browser support

Applications and code failing to work on particular web browsers is nothing new. Users have suffered because of a lack of cross-browser support since the 1990s browser wars between Internet Explorer (IE) and Netscape Navigator.

 

The issue gets worse if analyst predictions about mobile internet usage come true; then, we will also have to cater for mobile internet browsers.

 

And now, another new kid is on the block – will Google Chrome cause issues for cross-browser support or are we entering a new era of compatibility?

 

First, the bad news – the new release of Chrome is just the tip of a much bigger iceberg. Many users are already struggling with multiple versions of IE and popular open source alternative Firefox, not to mention the Apple-flavoured Safari.

 

Researcher Market Share reports IE has about three quarters of browser market share, with fast-growing Firefox at about 20 per cent.

 

Such proliferation causes inconsistencies in the way browsers display information, meaning low quality web viewing for users.

 

Traditionally developers have fixed issues as they come up with “code forks”, that is writing specific functionality for specific browsers. Whilst a valid approach, the need to add code increases as an organisation grows it’s site and browser-based applications.

 

The simplest approach to dealing with the code forks issue is to ensure compatibility for the majority-adopted browser, currently IE. But as we’ve seen already, the balance is shifting and IE has already lost ground to Firefox, and will lose more ground to Chrome.

 

The ideal approach is to abstract the task of cross browser rendering outside of page/application to a “rendering layer”. The rendering layer identifies the browser – this is a simple check of the http header information – and makes pages specific to browsers.

 

Such a layer would require constant evaluation of new browser releases and testing and most corporate IT departments will opt for “buy” versus “build” of their rendering layer – delegating responsibility for browser compatibility to a software house. 

 

Programmers, therefore, need a helping hand. And the good news is that quality assurance technologies can also help web developers view their applications in multiple settings and ensure high usability is prioritised. The use of automated test scripts can also assist to ensure both forward and backward compatibility of browser support, without having to extend test cycles to ridiculous timeframes.

 

Cross browser compatibility issues are here to stay, the question is do you build or do you buy?

 

Think online and offline to avoid getting stuck in the clouds

The Telegraph Media Group (TMG) recently announced it is not refreshing its current Microsoft Office, Exchange and Windows XP deployment and is instead moving about 1,400 internal users to cloud-based service Google Apps.

TMG’s decision to move into cloud computing – where IT-related capabilities are provided using internet technologies – could be indicative of a sea change.

More IT managers are considering a similar transition to desktop provision through the cloud, where employees can access applications and information through internet-enabled devices. For IT managers looking to the cloud, is there any major difference between online and offline provision?

The key benefits of an off-the-shelf package are well-rehearsed. Most employees will have spent most of their working lives adapting or using standard Microsoft Office packages.

Standardisation promotes usability, with workers able to benefit from working with an accepted format for spreadsheets or written documents. Such usability has helped cement Microsoft’s desktop dominance – until now.

Where as IT managers would previously have shied away from change, most now realise that best value requires an innovative and transformative approach.

Google Apps, for example, encourages collaboration. Users are able to benefit from a broad suite of applications, sharing and creating knowledge documents attached in Google Mail.

Cost is also an important factor. The Premier Edition of Google’s desktop service offers low-cost licensing and technical support, with bugs fixed and patches updated automatically.

Problems associated to storage are also removed, as information is stored in the cloud, rather than on a firm’s own resource-hungry servers.

But such a method can bring security concerns. Storing information centrally means IT managers need to be aware of potential dangers and ensure workers are trained.

And while TMG’s move into the cloud shows a leading-edge stance, mass adoption will rely on providers – such as Google – ensuring online applications have a familiar feel and high-specification functionality.

Working in the cloud also means users will need 24/7 access to the internet. Look for a provider that can match your demands, allowing workers to use cloud-based tools offline – because a drop in service availability can have damaging effects on productivity.

While the world gets carried away with rich internet experiences through Ajax and Web 2.0, users must remember the browser also serves a meaningful life offline – as well as online.

Google’s approach shows how businesses can create applications, whether workers are connected or disconnected – which has to a useful trick in helping your firm to stay ahead of the game.

And moving from the tried-and-trusted into the clouds should be all about increasing efficiency.

Specialists can be better than jack-of-all-trades

Last month, I talked about convergence and the emergence of multi-purpose devices. It was a timely post.

Check out the recent hype surrounding the launch of the updated iPhone. Media reports give the impression the whole world wants all-purpose, smart phone technology.

While the queues of eager customers snaking around Apple stores are representative of high demand for converged devices, we should also retain a sense of perspective.

Convergence is a popular and well-supported theory, but an alternative school of thought suggests we are about to enter a period of device divergence.

Rather than relying on a single converged device that attempts to cover as many technical areas as possible, the divergence concept recognises users will not necessarily demand converged technology because it is possible to bring together component parts.

Divergence is a more than plausible theory because many people still hold separate devices, despite modern phones including a range of smarter options.

Everything comes down to an issue of quantity versus quality: just because a device holds many applications doesn’t mean an individual will use them.

Rather than a one-size-fits all approach, more individuals are actually looking for specialist devices for specific purposes, such as a BlackBerry for email and an iPod for music.

In summary, devices essentially consist of an input mechanism, such as a keyboard, touch or movement – and an output means, including graphics, voice and text. Other essential elements are memory and a central processing unit.

Finding ways to connect the elements of such devices will be crucial. And if you can successfully connect the various components, users will be able to integrate a range of separate technologies through wireless technology.

While people may prefer using their specialist devices, some element of connectivity will be essential – especially if individuals want different applications on different devices to communicate.

Any user experiences are possible, once we recognise the logic of specific applications can be transferred to any output mechanism. Here’s to a future of multiple users for single devices.