Author Archives: Brad

About Brad

Brad is the author of this little blog!

Don’t type in the search box

Let’s get this out of the way early, I’m not a power user. You know those nerds who do everything via the keyboard? That’s not me, I just haven’t been able to settle into that style, more often than not I reach for my mouse even if I know the keyboard shortcut. I blame laziness despite the fact I’m actually doing more work.

I say this to establish I’m not really picky when it comes to normal interaction with applications. Sure, I wish things were simpler or more streamlined but for the most part, I suck it up and go about my day. My workplace is still on Windows XP which may play a role but I don’t think I use Windows 7 or OS X to their full potential either. I know a few keyboard shortcuts here and there but I seem to reach for the mouse more often than not. I’m a pretty normal computer user who’s about to complain a lot about a tiny UI issue in an app I use daily.

For the past 10 years, all instant message communication in my workplace has been via Yahoo IM. I’m serious, we used that horrible program all day, every day. Naturally our security department wasn’t thrilled but they didn’t have a viable replacement until we upgraded our phone system to VOIP. Now we use Cisco Jabber which ties into our phones and email systems and is pretty cool except one small thing that drives me bat-bleep crazy. Imagine you’re at work and someone sends you an IM. This is a situation we’re all familiar with, the IM window pops up, you read their message and you type a response. Easy-peasy except in Cisco Jabber, the default cursor position is in a search box and not the reply field. Can you guess what happens every time I receive an IM?

What should I search for?

What should I search for?

This image is of the search box at the top left corner of the IM window, it allows you to search your contacts but that functionality already exists in the contact window. I guess there’s some utility in this function but why focus the cursor in that field when I obviously want to reply to the IM I just received?

OK, let’s think this through rationally, maybe I just need to hit TAB? Nope, it takes nine presses of the TAB key to get to the reply field.

The compose field, a natural place to start.

The compose field, a natural place to start.

It’s crazy to think about but someone — or several someones — declared this software fit to ship. One or more people tested this product and didn’t see a problem with this behavior. You have to wonder how thorough the testing process was to let this slip through. What if it wasn’t a mistake? What if this is their intended behavior? Someone help me, I’m scared!

If you’re curious, shift-tab takes you to the compose field. That’s bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S.

Very often it’s the little things in your product that will drive your users crazy. That insignificant item you overlooked or thought wasn’t a big deal will make someone want to rip their hair out every time they use your software. In my case, every time I receive a new IM, I start responding and realize I’m typing in a search box. Will I eventually learn? Probably. Should I have to? No! This is a crap product shipped by a company that should know better.

Attention to detail is very important. I don’t think I can stress that enough.

They could release a revolutionary 60-inch 4K TV for $99 with built-in nanobots to assemble and dispense free smartwatches, and people would complain that it should cost $49 and the nanobots aren’t open enough.

-Marco Arment

Keeping a spark file

I like this idea by Steven Johnson on keeping a spark file for all the little things that come up in life.

The problem with hunches is that it’s incredibly easy to forget them, precisely because they’re not fully-baked ideas. You’re reading an article, and a little spark of an idea pops into your head, but by the time you’ve finished the article, you’re checking your email, or responding to some urgent request from your colleague, and the next thing you know, you’ve forgotten the hunch for good.

Those of us who prefer an analog solution will simply jot down our "sparks" in a notebook but what if you prefer a digital solution? I recommend using the "Append to Dropbox" action in Drafts for iOS, a method which an be found in this article by George Coghill. I’m sure something similar to Drafts exists for Android but I don’t know for sure.

Whatever method you chose, keeping a spark file seems like a smart idea and I plan on starting one today.

The Making of Medium

Teehan+Lax have a great behind the scenes look at their part in designing Medium.

They consisted of questions like:

  • Who is this page for?
  • What problem does this page solve for the user?
  • How do we know they need it?
  • What is the primary action we want users to take on this page?
  • What might prompt a user to take this action?
  • How will we know that this page is doing what we want it to do?

I love learning how designers drill down into the function of a site or product. I often dream of being someone with an expert eye and taste that can influence product design but then I realize I don’t have those skills and I pout in the corner.

Make sure you check out the other stories on their site, there’s a lot of knowledge in these pages.

An interesting take on acquisitions

Jake Lodwick at Pandodaily

Bit by bit, the youthful energy that created so much value was siphoned off. Whereas we’d once been free to work on whatever seemed interesting, we now found ourselves in vaguely defined middle-management roles, sitting through pointless meetings where older doofuses who didn’t understand the Web challenged our intuitions and trivialized our ambitions.

It’s always interesting to peek behind the curtain of startups and their acquisitions. Obviously I’m not in a place where I can agree or disagree with what he has to say but he makes a compelling argument.

(via: TightWind)

Einstein’s Zurich Notebook

I love the chance to peek into the notebook of a famous person, don’t you?

Let’s take a look at one of Einstein’s notebooks, specifically the so called Zurich Notebook

This stuff is way over my head but look at the handwriting, it’s so precise! I’m guessing he preferred graph paper as it lends itself to computation and drawing.

I think it’s ok to feel a little self conscious of your notebooks after all, this is Einstein we’re talking about.

Maybe I’ll do this in 2013

At some point in 2009 I decided to ride BMX bicycles. Perhaps you’re an old-school reader and you remember this phase in my life but if not, rest assured I didn’t get far. I did mess up my back and knee which stands to reason, men in their 30′s probably shouldn’t take up BMX as a hobby.

I’ll say this, I had high hopes. OK, not really.

As I write this, I realize I never posted any pictures or details of the Hoffman Bama I built, I suppose at some point this spring I should pull it out of the garage and snap a few pictures. While I have it out, maybe I’ll work on that goal from 2009?

Probably not, I’m much too old now.

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of the low price is forgotten.“

– Ben Franklin (allegedly)

Immobilized

A few months ago I wrote about the bursitis in my right foot. The steroid shot appeared to eliminate the inflammation but a few months later the pain returned and my options are shrinking. Apparently another shot runs the risk of weakening my tendon which is something I’d like to avoid.

The picture above is the current phase of treatment: immobilization. The Aircast boot locks my foot from moving which should help the bursa sac eventually heal. The boot is hot, clumsy, and generally annoying but I’m trying to stick with it.

Along with the boot, the doctor advised me to take ibuprofen three times a day to raise the level of anti-inflammatory agents in my system. I assume that doctors know best but everyone I talk to seems concerned with my liver. I’d research this on Web MD but that site scares me.

I haven’t been wearing the boot as often as I should and I keep forgetting to take my Advil but I think it’s healing. It may take another month or two but I may be able to visit the zoo or museum this summer without waking up in pain the next day.

Will I run again this year? Highly unlikely and that makes me very sad. Instead, I’m going to substitute my bicycle for running and see how that goes. I don’t find biking quite as satisfying but it will have to do.

Here’s to hoping I can run again in 2014.