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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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 .

UI Prevails. Barack Obama graces the cover of the July 10th issue of Rolling Stone magazine. Its the second time this year Mr. Obama has been featured on the cover, except unlike the March 08 issue, this month’s cover lacks a cover line. By doing so, in this reader’s opinion, delivering a message of hope beyond words.

Rolling Stone UI - No Cover Line Needed , originally uploaded by uiweekly .

"I didn’t know officer!" Probably won’t cut it.

No dialing while driving in California , originally uploaded by uiweekly .