VIA Interaction

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Emotion and usability

I'm waiting for the portable MRI that enables us to measure the impact of the emotional response to our Web designs.

We can measure usability -- to a certain degree, anyway -- but trying to gauge how people feel about a Web design is a tougher nut to crack.

Google understands. From the Washington Post's Ever So Humble:

Ever since Google Inc.'s famously spartan home page was released for public testing eight years ago, it has featured a prominent button beneath the search box giving users the cocky option of 'I'm Feeling Lucky.'

Google executives have long known that almost no one uses it.

But the company has no plans to evict "I'm Feeling Lucky," which whisks users directly to the top Web page matching their search query, even though this feature faces mounting competition from other Google services that could benefit from display on one of the most precious tracts of Internet real estate.

"If we took it away, there would be mass protests worldwide," said Marissa Mayer, vice president for search products and user experience. "It's part of our heritage. It's part of what users really like about us."

Google's dedication to "I'm Feeling Lucky" underscores the strategic value the company places on the look of its home page and its emotional bond with users, a fundamental asset that trumps even the temptation to promote more services or run advertising there.

posted by Tim Beidel at 10/03/2006 07:40:00 AM

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