Most of Facebook’s users must have noticed that Facebook has released an new/alternative UI. I have been wanting to post this note for quiet some time now. But i wanted to wait until most Facebook users have formed an opinion about Facebook new UI.
Honestly speaking my initial take was simple. “It sucks. I liked the old one better”. But over the time i used the new UI more frequently and hence my opinion grew to be more complex.
Allow me to share the feedback i have sent to Facebook Support.
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Well it is definitely more stable I’ll give u that, I can finally use the chat feature and actually have my messages delivered to my contacts, profiles are loading faster, Ajax is working better, And I can clearly see that you have done changes to Facebook’s CORE (or whatever it is you call it). But too much has changed, and it seems like a burden that I need to learn it all over again when I was just getting good at it. Well to be honest I don’t have to I can always switch to the old UI.
FB has been up and running for 4 years. Unfortunately I haven’t been a FB user for long but during this short period time Facebook’s interface hasn’t changed dramatically. It did change gradually though; just a feature here and feature there.
We can deduce a lot from this fact:
1) People got very accustomed to FB’s interface. They knew the in and out and the up and downs. They knew how to get where they want, do what they need, and fast.
2) Even if people weren’t that fond of FB’s old interface at sometime and most of us were complaining and whining (which I am sure is the basis for your revolutionary update), it grew on them.
Given the above here is what I think should have been done:
Think in terms of iterations, a small chunk of change at a time, leading to the same result we have now. How is this beneficial? I hear u say. Well it is in lots of ways:
1) Minimize the risk. When you do small chunks of change minimizes the risk that people won’t like it (because most won’t even notice consciously). So there is a lower chance of pulling out the changes. Even if u had to pull out the changes there is less to pull out.
2) Maximize customer satisfaction. If the changes are done iteratively you are giving more time for the users to learn less.
3) Better results. Iterations help the team to focus better on the given Business requirement. This leads to better understanding of the requirements, which will definitely lead to better quality/less bugs. I always prefer conduct my work Iteratively rather than a Big-Bang approach
You don’t believe me (you probably do but just amuse me).
Let us consider 2 examples:
1) What’s the most successful Corp. in the IT business currently? The answer is simple; Google. Let us consider Google’s search engine. I have been using for longer than I care to remember (well who hasn’t) during this period (which spans over 13 yrs) I do not recall seeing a major change in Google’s UI. Well, that is not exactly accurate. Google’s interface has completely changed but just not in a consciously noticeable fashion. They have added:
• The auto complete
• The Suggestion at the top of the search page when u have misspelled a key word in your query (AKA the “Did you mean” feature)
• The Search Suggestions at the bottom of the search page (AKA the “Searches related to” feature)
Of course, the above list isn’t a complete list but it’ll have to do for me to prove my point.
Apparently, these features, among others, weren’t added (I am saying added not developed mind you) overnight, instead they were added iteratively.
2) My Second example is a hypothetical example. I consider the Car to be the most successful UI in human history (others might say it is the iphone). How would you like if all of a sudden the following happened all of a sudden:
• The Steering Wheel was replaced by a PS3 Joystick
• The clutch by the X Button on the PS3 Joystick
• The accelerator by the triangle Button on the PS3 Joystick
• The Brakes by Circle Button on the PS3 Joystick
• The Gear Shift Stick by the buttons on back of the PS3 Joystick
Aside from driving loosing its fun, all driving Licenses will have to be revoked, people will have to driving learn from scratch, and people will probably drive as they do in video games (i.e. terribly, yes even more terribly than they do already)
But the Car UI has changed and has changed a lot since it first started. But again the change was very gradual.
So what have we learned from these 2 examples:
1) Both UIs were improved gradually over the years
2) Both UIs were improved without changing the original design or general Ideas and main concepts.
3) Changes to both UIs were accepted and embraced by the public.
On the other hand, if I put on a Top Management hat, I can certainly relate to why this change has been done in that way. If all goes well that is the cheaper and more time efficient way to do it.
I do realize that this feedback has been rather lengthy. I do realize that you were probably looking for an “I like it vs. I hate it” kind of feedback. However, I couldn’t resist the Business Analyst in me; I couldn’t fight the urge to write this feedback.
I also realize that in all probability you do have better, more experienced and highly trained business analysts who can tell you all of the above (and probably already had) and more (don’t take that as lack of self confidence). But again I am not the kind that just sits down and watch.
