Entry bubble Good Usability – Not an Accident, a Decision!

By: Joanne | November 12, 2008 | Category: General

Today, in celebration of World Usability Day on Thursday, Nov. 13, we welcome Nicole Burton as our guest blogger. Nicole is a usability specialist at the General Services Administration on the USA.gov Web Best Practices Team, where she helps web teams makes their websites easy to use. Nicole is a playwright, publisher author, and certified usability specialist.

potato peeler

Why are some websites are easy to use and others drive you crazy? Why do some kitchen gadgets feel so good in your hand while others lead straight to the first aid kit?









confusing street signs Why do some city street signs guide you while others cause crashes?

The answer: Good user experiences are planned. Twelve years ago, I discovered usability while working as a tech writer at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. At a conference, the presenter showed us how to test a computer system design with real users using nothing but paper! I realized that doing several rounds of testing and design early on was the key to making a system or website easy to use. I’ve never looked back.

On Thursday, November 13, 2:00-3:00 pm ET, the National Institute of Standards and Technology is offering a free webinar on how to write great usability requirements. It’s part of World Usability Day, an international event to draw the public’s attention to the benefits of good usability.

Usability engineers (yep, it’s a real job title) help build ease of use into websites and other products. We usually earn at least a masters degree or certification, but experience is the best qualification, and lots of people master usability basics. For tips to get started and usability guidelines, check out Usability.gov and Webcontent.gov.

Be warned: Once you start looking for good and bad usability, your world will never be the same. TV remote controls, doorways, websites will all announce whether they’re easy or hard to use.

Actually, usability awareness is good. As consumers, we send a powerful message to government and industry when we choose to use websites that are easy to use and avoid or critique those that waste our time.

Remember, good usability isn’t an accident, it’s a decision!

| View Comments [1] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: day   experience   nicole   usability   user   world  

 

Entry bubble Why Are Gasoline Prices So High?

By: Jake | May 26, 2008 | Category: Money

My post last week about saving money on gas had many of you asking why the price of gasoline was so high. You weren't the only ones.

Congress brought executives from oil companies to Capitol Hill last week and asked them to explain the price hikes. Unfortunately, there weren't too many clear answers. I'm not an oil expert or economist, but in this post I'll try to shed light on why gasoline prices are high.EIA Gasoline Price Chart

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the Department of Energy (their job: to provide neutral data regarding energy in the U.S) says the cost of crude oil is the main contributor to the price of gasoline. Crude oil accounts for 70% of the price at the pump. According to the EIA, the spot price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil, which is the U.S. benchmark for light, sweet crude oil, has risen steadily from $101.54 per barrel on March 31 to a record high of $128.93 per barrel on May 20.

The main reason for crude oil's price increase is high worldwide demand. Countries like China (especially with the recent earthquake) have increased their imports of petroleum. Political events and conflicts in oil producing countries also affect the price. What's more interesting is that crude oil is traded worldwide in U.S. dollars and since the value of the dollar is declining, it causes the price of crude to go up.

In the EIA's "This Week in Petroleum" published May 21, they project prices will go up in June and will rise as long as the price of crude oil keeps increasing. The report adds that the usual Memorial Day and summer travel season increase in demand should be lower due to higher prices, but this will not have too much of an effect on price since millions will still travel. Policymakers have proposed lowering or repealing gas taxes, but it's not certain how much this would lower the price.

As long as the price of crude oil continues to rise, we'll be paying more for gasoline. Let's hope gasoline will never cost more than a gallon of beer or ketchup.

| View Comments [21] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: economy   fuel   gas   gasoline   jake   oil   world  

 

Entry bubble Play Ball!

By: Colleen | April 02, 2008 | Category: Fun

Monday kicked off my favorite time of the year as a sports fan. It was Opening Day at Citizens Bank Park. baseball

Although the Phils dropped the home opener, it does nothing to diminish my excitement that baseball season is here.

Baseball is my favorite sport to watch in person (followed closely by college basketball and NFL football. On TV my favs are: college basketball, NFL football, college football, and then baseball...the differences in these two lists call for a another post entirely.)

Few things in life beat sitting in the warm sunshine on a clear afternoon with your friends and a hot dog, watching your favorite player crush a home run and your team ultimately winning the game.

Baseball has long been known as our "national pastime" and plays an important role in American history.

  • Each year, the President throws out the first pitch of the World Series
  • Franklin Roosevelt urged MLB to continue play during World War II to boost the spirit of the American people and to show resiliency
  • April 15, 2004 marked the first Jackie Robinson Day. This annual tradition serves as a reminder of when Jackie broke the color barrier—not just sending a message in sports, but society as well.
  • In the spring of 2001, President Bush opened the South Lawn of the White House for kids to play t-ball, keeping in the tradition of the "people's house."

Warm up your vocals and get ready to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," baseball is back!

| View Comments [3] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: baseball   colleen   national   pastime   president   series   sports   world