Designing Scalable Interfaces

Scalable interface design ensures that interface development takes account of the need to change over time, providing solutions that are flexible and thus 'future-proof' to some extent. Too often complex interface designs require a complete overhaul when even the smallest change is required in the functionality of the application or site in question. Building 'scalable' interfaces in the first place will save time and cost in the long term - and make coping with upgrades easier for your customers.

Quinn, Anthony. Frontend Infocentre (2001). Design>Web Design>User Interface

Effective Alt Text

Good alt text can be a useful tool for enhancing the web interface. It provides supporting information, helping users gain an understanding of the structure web pages and an insight into the behaviour of key controls and interactive elements. 'ALT' is a HTML tag. It adds a short line of text to an image, usually for descriptive purposes. If you are using a mouse and you 'hover” the pointer over an image on a web page, you will notice that a short line of text appears - this is the alt text. You should also see the alt text if you switch off the images on your browser - the images have been replaced by 'placeholders” and the same short line of text which appeared when you hovered the mouse over the image.

Quinn, Anthony. Frontend Infocentre (2001). Design>Web Design>Accessibility

Why "Bobby Approved" Does Not Always Mean Accessible

Bobby is an online testing tool which has been developed to help developers assess web sites for accessibility. It is a free service provided by CAST (Centre for Applied Special Technology), a non-profit organisation which aims to expand opportunities for people with disabilities through computer technology. Bobby looks at the underlying HTML code that controls the presentation of a web page and analyses it against the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) guidelines. Many organizations genuinely believe that if their site passes the Bobby test and displays the Bobby icon, it is 'accessible.' In many ways, this is an understandable outlook. The 'Bobby Approved' icon represents an achievable standard and a tangible, recognisable endorsement of efforts made towards web accessibility. However, it should be remembered that the Bobby test does not ensure true 'accessibility.'

Quinn, Anthony. Frontend Infocentre (2001). Design>Web Design>Accessibility

Why People Can't Use eLearning

Unusable interfaces will cost eLearning companies billions of dollars in lost revenues because many people won’t be able to use their products. The US eLearning market has a projected value of $11.5 billion by 2003 while the European market is expected to be worth $4 billion by 2004. However, poor usability will contribute to disappointing results for many eLearning companies, for the following reasons.

Quinn, Anthony. Frontend Infocentre (2001). Articles>Education>Online>Usability