UI Weekly

Thanks to my buddy Mic for sending these from Poland during Euro 2008.

On Friday, Smashing Magazine posted the first part of Web Form Design Patterns: Sign-Up Forms where they sampled 100 sites and analyzed each site’s web form. The results are interesting and a great way to see how sites are implementing web forms these days.

What’s surprising, however, is that Smashing Magazine has taken the if popular sites are doing it, than this is the right way to do it approach. But when it comes to usability, Jakob Nielsen argues that 99% of sites are doing it wrong.

So by encouraging designers to follow popular trends, is Smashing Magazine helping to proliferate bad design?

Do the popular sites do it right?  Is it right for you?  If you really want to design better web forms that will lead to more form completions, read Luke Wroblewski’s new book Web Form Design: Filling in the Blanks.  He not only shows you what others are doing but explains why they are doing it. You’ll design better forms that fit your site.

Below are a couple design changes I noticed while at the new Target store in the District mall in Tustin, California.

First thing I noticed was the redesign of the IN symbol located above and on the automatic doors at the store’s entrance.  Excellent choice of color and shape, similar to a traffic light.  The IN symbol is welcoming and easy to spot.

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UI Fails period.

ie only, originally uploaded by everyonepoopslol.

Some UI is more important than others, this one in particular was one to take note of.  especially with the Ocelot pacing around his cage about 2 feet away from me.

The San Diego Zoo is truly a marvel of Off Web UI greatness.  It’s ergonomic at every junction using simple to understand sign-age and paths.  Unlike many other “theme parks” the San Diego Zoo not only has to direct you to the attraction you’re looking for, but also pass along a wealth of information, including safety warnings, animal facts and preservation efforts.  Although it’s a lot of info the presentation is seemless and un-intrusive to parks landscapes and attractions.  If you know what you want to see you can pretty much find your way without ever opening a map of the park.  

This email newsletter, from the otherwise brilliantly simple Moleskine company, suffers from horrible typography, tight margins, bad line heights, and more. It makes what should be a simple email into a confusing mess. I love their products but I delete their newsletters immediately.

We’re less than 10 days away from the release of the new iphone 3g.  For those of you who find the iphone guided tour hard to watch, you can see a few selected screenshots here (sans annoying dude).

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Wow!

iPhone3g Gaming UI, originally uploaded by uiweekly.

The clear language is appreciated when you’ve had too many Arrogant Bastard Ales at the Stone Brewing Company in Escondido California.

Stone Brewing Menu UI , originally uploaded by uiweekly .