Is common sense really all that common?

Many people use the phrase "common sense" but is common sense really all that common?

Take, for example, how we assume that the cold water faucet is on the right and the hot is on the left. Because we may have been raised with cold on the right and hot on the left we think that now makes sense... but what about the rare occasion when a plumber is having a bad day and now the cold is on the left. Or in other countries where the faucets are switched as a common practice.

It may be common sense to us, but not everyone has had the same experiences to draw from. So common sense relies heavily on the experiences of the individual.

Now think about your company website. Sure it makes sense to you that the word "packages" means package pricing or "hvac" means air conditioning and heating but to the person with different experiences, the obvious may not be so obvious.

This is where having a true outsider take a look at your site is very beneficial. This evening I was actually told by a customer that I was hired specifically because I did NOT know their industry and had a fresh perspective for their site.

Websites, like cell phones, computers, and even kitchen stoves must be designed to work for at least 95% of the population. If you are designing for the 5% who is in your industry - you're missing out on the largest part of your audience.

Just a little food for thought from the human factors arena...

Human Factors

It's that time again - kids of all ages are going back to school. And it looks like I will be too!

Yes - that yearning to learn has bitten and I've decided to supplement my professional development by pursuing my doctorate in psychology. Specifically, the study of human factors.

What does that mean exactly? Well it turns out that psychologists are the people who are most interested in how man works with machine. Whether it's in manufacturing, like making the airplanes for Boeing or if it's in an office setting working with computers.

A small slice of this pie is the way that humans interact with the internet. And here in Wichita Kansas, at Wichita State University, there is a "usability lab" where research is done and people are tested while interacting with computers and the web.

Being the sort of person who loves learning about the internet and sharing what I've learned with others, human factors appeals to me greatly and it's something I'm sure that I'll be using when working with my clients to improve web performance.

If you want to know more about the WSU research in this area you can visit their website: UsabilityNews.org And stay tuned - I'll be sharing what I've learned as I progress through the program!

What you don't know

You never know what you don't know until you find out you didn't know it...

In other words - Wow! I had no idea the hunting industry was such a big business. I guess my first clue should have been Cabella's and Gander Mountain. But when recently speaking to the Kansas Sport Hunters Association I really learned a lot about what it takes to host hunters, where the game comes from and how big the market really is.

This was a great group of people who are, at the heart of it, are in the hospitality industry. The vast majority are farmers who have a lot of land that isn't producing crop in the off season and provide lodging, food and recreation for hunters to supplement the farming.

During the seminar we reviewed 3 of their websites (volunteers came forward in advance) and one of the most striking differences off the top was how web design has changed in even 3 or 4 years. Two of the sites were newer and the third site had been online for several years. The difference in the graphic design of the sites made the older site look less professional even though it had been in business longer.

While many people think graphic design is just nice to have, it really becomes a tool to further enhance your level of professionalism. Graphic design is actually one of the elements that lead people to believe your company is more credible, more worthy of business.

Pay careful attention to the graphics of your site - what message does your actual design convey? Not sure? Ask a third party, someone not as familiar with your business, to take a look at your site. The feedback you can gain from an outsider is invaluable when it comes to developing a website that gets results.