Experience Planner

Do you ever get requests to create alternative user flows that you know are terrible? If so, this is for you.

Source: The New York Times 

If you’ve set up a new account on a website in the last few years, you’re no doubt familiar with the string of random letters and numbers you have to type to prove you’re a human.

These tests — called CAPTCHAs — were supposed to stymie computer programs trying to pose as humans on sign-up pages and forums, but industry experts suspect we may soon be seeing the last of them.

Computerworld is predicting the death of the CAPTCHA, saying that in the decade-long game of cat and mouse, the scammers and their programs — computers tricking other computers into thinking they’re human — have emerged victorious.

With automated tools now able to defeat 90-100 percent of the CAPTCHAs at many popular sites, malicious users can create free e-mail addresses and social networking accounts at will.

Few users will mourn the passing of the tests. As CAPTCHAs grew more complex over the years to hold off computerized attempts to subvert them, they added headaches for site administrators and effectively locked out many blind users. Source: http://marketplace.publicradio.org/

…so users bounce off your site like water off a duck’s back.

Recently, I discovered an interesting approach to navigation: www.triaminic.com

How quickly can you find the navigation? Time yourself and let us know how you did!

With screens in their living rooms, on their desktops, laptops and hand-held devices, Americans are watching more TV and video than ever before, according to the Nielsen Company. The media research firm today released figures showing usage across the “three screens” — television, Internet and mobile devices.

Nielsen says the average American watches more television than ever at 127 hours, 15 minutes per month, while also spending 9% more time using the Internet (26 hours, 26 minutes per month) from last year. At the same time, a small but growing number of Internet and mobile phone users are watching video online (2 hours, 19 minutes per month), as well as using their cell phones to watch video (3 hours, 15 minutes per month). Source  http://marketplace.publicradio.org/