Design. Made in Russia
There is no meaningful illustration in this design text. The text is not intended to teach design. This is an attempt at a cultural analysis of the evolution that user interface design is making in Russia. Experiencing the influence of fashion, technology and business, he retains his unique features, knowledge of which will help to understand the causes of what is happening.
Knowledge is not just a statement of fact. This is a tool for change. The study of patterns allows you to influence them, determining the future.
The democratic nature of the Internet, which gave anyone the opportunity to become a publisher, created the conditions under which everyone felt like a creator and designer. It is not surprising that in the creative search most people forgot the original publishing idea. The Internet, immediately after its occurrence, flooded countless number of sites with tasteless, but colorful design, on which it was difficult to find the content, for the publication of which the resource was intended.
Usability specialists still cite examples of design errors from that, in general, which has become irrelevant to time.
The development of the Internet in Russia coincided with the flourishing of business. If by 1998, the main trends in the development of the global network in Russia were only determined, then after the crisis of 1998 and until 2000, the business that survived and recovered from the shocks began to be actively advertised, including on the Web. Due to the explosive nature of business development, many companies have emerged that needed to declare themselves.
There was a need for professional graphic design. And if in the West such a design was more utilitarian and pragmatic, in Russia professional graphic design became a sign of wealth and a luxury item, since it immediately became fashionable to order design from famous designers. The latter, in turn, responded to the market adequately - they raised the cost of their work.
As a joke, they tell a very real story about how one of the most popular design studios recorded on their answering machine something like this: "If someone offers you an expensive design, tell us, we will make the design even more expensive." This phrase can be perceived as a mockery of the customer, but in fact it reflects well the main trend of design in Russia: design should look rich!
Large companies proudly paid a lot of money to ensure that their site was attended by amazing images - for example, a car in foam form (an image of the insurance business) - and at the same time completely lost sight of the main purpose of the corporate site - effective interaction with the client. Later, under the pressure of competition or changing market conditions, such sites were altered, losing their pompous gloss, becoming more modest, but much more useful for their user.
The desire to express wealth is preserved in Russian design to this day. When global companies become interested in the Russian market and face the need to create a local corporate site for Russian users, a frequent question that they ask consultants is what the specificity of design in Russia is? We have to answer that the Russian user is somewhat spoiled by a delightful design, and is already accustomed to project the high cost of design on the seriousness of the company's business, so you should not limit yourself to minimalist design, although this is one of the criteria (heuristics) for good usability. It is necessary to show the user a bright wrapper, causing his confidence.
Interestingly, Russian designers, who gained popularity during the period of rapid development of business on the Internet, still do not suffer from cravings for thoughtful user interfaces. They are ready to continue to admire their fans the wonders of design ideas.
It is also curious that the term “user interface” is almost never used in this environment. The design forms the product (site), and not the life of the user. The user turns out to be behind the scenes, watching a strange design.
')
Requirements to increase user efficiency come from a business that is interested in customers finding what they are looking for and paying for what they find. And we are now witnessing a certain fracture of the current culture.
Insurance companies (since this area of ​​business was mentioned in the example above) no longer tend to depict foam sculptures, but build utilitarian websites selling exclusively, for example, compulsory auto insurance policies. And for trade in policies, it is not foam that is needed, but the thoughtful logic of filling in order forms, and integration with payment systems, to give the Russian motorist a really amazing opportunity - to buy an OSAGO policy without leaving home.
True, inattention to the users of the site does not always indicate that the business is not aimed at the client. Sometimes in a small business you come across a situation where the need for customers is already satisfied, and due to low claims, the business does not seek to master the entire flow of incoming customers. The business will work only with the most motivated of them, who will make their way not only through the labyrinths of the corporate website, but also agree to sit in queues waiting for the opportunity to be served. And those who are not interested who scold the site, as well as those who swear in queues, let them go to competitors - if there is any business at all.
The distortion or underdevelopment of business interests naturally constrains the expansion and development of relations with customers, including those who come from the Internet.
And if the movement towards the client, who is standing at the door of the office with money, has already begun to find its form, then surprisingly, business in Russia remains quite indifferent to improving the efficiency of its own employees. At first glance, a reasonable proposal to the bank to improve the software with which the operators work (they will make fewer mistakes, will become less tired and more satisfied with their work) is confused. What for? They should work well by definition, and if not, we will dismiss these and hire those who will not make mistakes, get tired, and who will be happy for the opportunity to work in our bank.
The main priority for the business is still the speed of changes in the software with which people work. And this is understandable: conditions change all the time. The central bank issues new orders, and the accounting department is obliged to restructure its work. The competitors have access to the Japanese stock exchange, which means that they need to integrate quotes from the Japanese stock exchange and into the terminals of their employees.
One of the Moscow development managers, looking at usability as a process that can help optimally organize the development of user interfaces of the banking system, expressed his negative verdict with these words: “We need to quickly! So fast that you need to forget about convenience. Comparing our system with a car, we find it normal if the gearshift lever is in the trunk. We will put a person in the trunk and give him commands every time there is a need to switch the speed. Yes, I agree that this is terrible, but these are the realities of business. Everything needs to be done very quickly! ”
Of course, not all internal users are equivalent for business. The driving force behind the development of user interfaces in Russia is the interests of top management companies. If the time of ordinary employees is still not used to appreciating, then the usability of the management overloaded with information becomes the priority number zero.
Many projects for the redesign of intra-corporate systems will start at the request of senior management, who need convenient access to operational information and effective management and control methods. These funds should not take away from management a lot of time, since they have no free time.
Thus, the spread of usability in Russian companies often comes from the top down. If convenient interfaces are evaluated at the top, then there is a chance that the systems with which middle managers work with will be subjected to a redesign, and perhaps this wave will some day reach people working at the lower levels of the organizational structure.
One has to regret precisely this direction of development, since there are, of course, more people at the lower levels of the organizational pyramid than at its top. Therefore, the improvement of user interfaces for ordinary employees should produce a greater business effect than the optimization of the work of a management unit that is limited in size.
Since Russia, thanks to its engineers, is popular as a place for the implementation of outsourcing development, we need to touch on another topic - how are things going with the design of user interfaces in this area. The isolation of outsourcing developers from business and users makes it difficult to implement a user-oriented design methodology. Often, customers themselves restrict developers from contacting users. Most likely, this is due to the fact that customers do not understand the methodology; on the other hand, they cannot be sure that the developers with their bad English will not break the firewood while communicating with the end users.
Indicative of this is the dialogue that took place with one of the leading project managers of software development for Western customers. He, as a progressive man, with great interest looks at usability, as a method that can solve many difficult issues facing the project. His dissatisfaction with the situation was expressed in such words: “We compete on price. I can not offer the customer to increase the cost of the project and its time to include this methodology in the process and make the product better. The customer is likely to go to competitors. "
And when he is objected that the usability-approach reduces the project time due to the fact that there is no need to develop what users do not need, and reduces the budget due to the fact that it is not necessary to redo the product, he thought a little, responds
"Not! That doesn't suit me either. I have programmers who need to be fed. Reducing the project budget will lead to a decrease in staff employment. Therefore, for the time being we will work as before: sign the TK at the customer, and if he is dissatisfied with the result, show him his own signature. ”
Only one thing can change this situation - a change in the life values ​​of both the developer and the customer. Usability maturity in people's minds has a significant obstacle. You can teach people techniques and methods, but training will be ineffective until everyone understands what it is working for, what business is for.
Any business is aimed at customer satisfaction. All other goals (employment of programmers, mastering the budget, realization of egocentric ambitions) are side.
Usability is the knowledge of users, work for users, and the constant evaluation and control of their work. You can only do this by loving the user. A person who is unable to love someone for whom he works will be forced to do his work, and the results of his work can also be used only if forced, from hopelessness.
Sometimes developers, listening to the need to anticipate and prevent user errors, exclaim: “I see! It’s just foolproof! ”This phrase is remarkable. To do something for a fool is not interesting, I want to work for an intelligent person. And to make the user smart, just love him.
With all the seeming neglect of Russian user interface design, things are not so bad. Large companies organize design departments and even create their own usability labs. A market for usability consultants is developing. Conferences and seminars are held, vocational training is being developed. The market lacks usability specialists. Vacancy announcements in this area appear on thematic resources almost every day.
All these are signs of intensive development. And we can confidently say that we are not only witnesses, but also participants in this process. And we have the opportunity to live during usability, which is approached and supported by every successful design decision, each session of usability testing.
Author: Dmitri Satin
Published in the journal "Computerra" â„–45 from December 12, 2007
PS This article was written to a report at the Microsoft Expression Around the Clock conference. A video of this performance is available online (you need to install SilverLight to view).
Knowledge is not just a statement of fact. This is a tool for change. The study of patterns allows you to influence them, determining the future.
Primary chaos
The democratic nature of the Internet, which gave anyone the opportunity to become a publisher, created the conditions under which everyone felt like a creator and designer. It is not surprising that in the creative search most people forgot the original publishing idea. The Internet, immediately after its occurrence, flooded countless number of sites with tasteless, but colorful design, on which it was difficult to find the content, for the publication of which the resource was intended.
Usability specialists still cite examples of design errors from that, in general, which has become irrelevant to time.
Impersonation. Image of wealth
The development of the Internet in Russia coincided with the flourishing of business. If by 1998, the main trends in the development of the global network in Russia were only determined, then after the crisis of 1998 and until 2000, the business that survived and recovered from the shocks began to be actively advertised, including on the Web. Due to the explosive nature of business development, many companies have emerged that needed to declare themselves.
There was a need for professional graphic design. And if in the West such a design was more utilitarian and pragmatic, in Russia professional graphic design became a sign of wealth and a luxury item, since it immediately became fashionable to order design from famous designers. The latter, in turn, responded to the market adequately - they raised the cost of their work.
As a joke, they tell a very real story about how one of the most popular design studios recorded on their answering machine something like this: "If someone offers you an expensive design, tell us, we will make the design even more expensive." This phrase can be perceived as a mockery of the customer, but in fact it reflects well the main trend of design in Russia: design should look rich!
Large companies proudly paid a lot of money to ensure that their site was attended by amazing images - for example, a car in foam form (an image of the insurance business) - and at the same time completely lost sight of the main purpose of the corporate site - effective interaction with the client. Later, under the pressure of competition or changing market conditions, such sites were altered, losing their pompous gloss, becoming more modest, but much more useful for their user.
The desire to express wealth is preserved in Russian design to this day. When global companies become interested in the Russian market and face the need to create a local corporate site for Russian users, a frequent question that they ask consultants is what the specificity of design in Russia is? We have to answer that the Russian user is somewhat spoiled by a delightful design, and is already accustomed to project the high cost of design on the seriousness of the company's business, so you should not limit yourself to minimalist design, although this is one of the criteria (heuristics) for good usability. It is necessary to show the user a bright wrapper, causing his confidence.
Interestingly, Russian designers, who gained popularity during the period of rapid development of business on the Internet, still do not suffer from cravings for thoughtful user interfaces. They are ready to continue to admire their fans the wonders of design ideas.
It is also curious that the term “user interface” is almost never used in this environment. The design forms the product (site), and not the life of the user. The user turns out to be behind the scenes, watching a strange design.
')
Facing customer
Requirements to increase user efficiency come from a business that is interested in customers finding what they are looking for and paying for what they find. And we are now witnessing a certain fracture of the current culture.
Insurance companies (since this area of ​​business was mentioned in the example above) no longer tend to depict foam sculptures, but build utilitarian websites selling exclusively, for example, compulsory auto insurance policies. And for trade in policies, it is not foam that is needed, but the thoughtful logic of filling in order forms, and integration with payment systems, to give the Russian motorist a really amazing opportunity - to buy an OSAGO policy without leaving home.
True, inattention to the users of the site does not always indicate that the business is not aimed at the client. Sometimes in a small business you come across a situation where the need for customers is already satisfied, and due to low claims, the business does not seek to master the entire flow of incoming customers. The business will work only with the most motivated of them, who will make their way not only through the labyrinths of the corporate website, but also agree to sit in queues waiting for the opportunity to be served. And those who are not interested who scold the site, as well as those who swear in queues, let them go to competitors - if there is any business at all.
The distortion or underdevelopment of business interests naturally constrains the expansion and development of relations with customers, including those who come from the Internet.
Facing staff
And if the movement towards the client, who is standing at the door of the office with money, has already begun to find its form, then surprisingly, business in Russia remains quite indifferent to improving the efficiency of its own employees. At first glance, a reasonable proposal to the bank to improve the software with which the operators work (they will make fewer mistakes, will become less tired and more satisfied with their work) is confused. What for? They should work well by definition, and if not, we will dismiss these and hire those who will not make mistakes, get tired, and who will be happy for the opportunity to work in our bank.
The main priority for the business is still the speed of changes in the software with which people work. And this is understandable: conditions change all the time. The central bank issues new orders, and the accounting department is obliged to restructure its work. The competitors have access to the Japanese stock exchange, which means that they need to integrate quotes from the Japanese stock exchange and into the terminals of their employees.
One of the Moscow development managers, looking at usability as a process that can help optimally organize the development of user interfaces of the banking system, expressed his negative verdict with these words: “We need to quickly! So fast that you need to forget about convenience. Comparing our system with a car, we find it normal if the gearshift lever is in the trunk. We will put a person in the trunk and give him commands every time there is a need to switch the speed. Yes, I agree that this is terrible, but these are the realities of business. Everything needs to be done very quickly! ”
Of course, not all internal users are equivalent for business. The driving force behind the development of user interfaces in Russia is the interests of top management companies. If the time of ordinary employees is still not used to appreciating, then the usability of the management overloaded with information becomes the priority number zero.
Many projects for the redesign of intra-corporate systems will start at the request of senior management, who need convenient access to operational information and effective management and control methods. These funds should not take away from management a lot of time, since they have no free time.
Thus, the spread of usability in Russian companies often comes from the top down. If convenient interfaces are evaluated at the top, then there is a chance that the systems with which middle managers work with will be subjected to a redesign, and perhaps this wave will some day reach people working at the lower levels of the organizational structure.
One has to regret precisely this direction of development, since there are, of course, more people at the lower levels of the organizational pyramid than at its top. Therefore, the improvement of user interfaces for ordinary employees should produce a greater business effect than the optimization of the work of a management unit that is limited in size.
Takeaway design
Since Russia, thanks to its engineers, is popular as a place for the implementation of outsourcing development, we need to touch on another topic - how are things going with the design of user interfaces in this area. The isolation of outsourcing developers from business and users makes it difficult to implement a user-oriented design methodology. Often, customers themselves restrict developers from contacting users. Most likely, this is due to the fact that customers do not understand the methodology; on the other hand, they cannot be sure that the developers with their bad English will not break the firewood while communicating with the end users.
Indicative of this is the dialogue that took place with one of the leading project managers of software development for Western customers. He, as a progressive man, with great interest looks at usability, as a method that can solve many difficult issues facing the project. His dissatisfaction with the situation was expressed in such words: “We compete on price. I can not offer the customer to increase the cost of the project and its time to include this methodology in the process and make the product better. The customer is likely to go to competitors. "
And when he is objected that the usability-approach reduces the project time due to the fact that there is no need to develop what users do not need, and reduces the budget due to the fact that it is not necessary to redo the product, he thought a little, responds
"Not! That doesn't suit me either. I have programmers who need to be fed. Reducing the project budget will lead to a decrease in staff employment. Therefore, for the time being we will work as before: sign the TK at the customer, and if he is dissatisfied with the result, show him his own signature. ”
Only one thing can change this situation - a change in the life values ​​of both the developer and the customer. Usability maturity in people's minds has a significant obstacle. You can teach people techniques and methods, but training will be ineffective until everyone understands what it is working for, what business is for.
Any business is aimed at customer satisfaction. All other goals (employment of programmers, mastering the budget, realization of egocentric ambitions) are side.
Usability is the knowledge of users, work for users, and the constant evaluation and control of their work. You can only do this by loving the user. A person who is unable to love someone for whom he works will be forced to do his work, and the results of his work can also be used only if forced, from hopelessness.
Sometimes developers, listening to the need to anticipate and prevent user errors, exclaim: “I see! It’s just foolproof! ”This phrase is remarkable. To do something for a fool is not interesting, I want to work for an intelligent person. And to make the user smart, just love him.
Usability time
With all the seeming neglect of Russian user interface design, things are not so bad. Large companies organize design departments and even create their own usability labs. A market for usability consultants is developing. Conferences and seminars are held, vocational training is being developed. The market lacks usability specialists. Vacancy announcements in this area appear on thematic resources almost every day.
All these are signs of intensive development. And we can confidently say that we are not only witnesses, but also participants in this process. And we have the opportunity to live during usability, which is approached and supported by every successful design decision, each session of usability testing.
Author: Dmitri Satin
Published in the journal "Computerra" â„–45 from December 12, 2007
PS This article was written to a report at the Microsoft Expression Around the Clock conference. A video of this performance is available online (you need to install SilverLight to view).
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/17555/
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