The internet has increasing changed throughout the years. People have moved from being passive users to active participants of the web where they take part in producing and publishing content. For instance, grandparents, parents, and kids are frequently delving into blogs and social networking sites. With the increasing number and types of internet users, it is necessary to develop interfaces whose actions can both engage and empower the users. In other words, interfaces should appeal to the users and make them feel more confidant about using the product.
Here are some examples of successful interfaces:
1.
Upcoming.org is a network that allows users to search for events and things to do anywhere and everywhere.
Once logged in, the upcoming.org displays popular events located in area that is close to the user's location. The highlighted dates help notify users when the next events are coming up. Content of the page is nicely spread out using a simplified 3 column structure making it easy to digest the information. The prominent search bar allows users to easily search for events based on title, subject, location, and much more.
2.
Things is a task management application for Mac OS X and the iPhone. The application allows users to organize using dates and tags.
The nice feature about Things is that regardless of the task's dates, notes, or tags, the application would only display information on an as needed basis. This helps reduce the amount of clutter and create a more simple and clean interface, making it easier to follow and organize the tasks.
3.
Flickr is a photo and video services that allows users to share their photostream with friends and family members.
Flickr is keen on making its service as easy to use as possible by adding little comments to each of its new features. Comments often explain what the new features are and how to use it or set it up. Moreover, Flickr's interface is known of it's instant editable fields. For instance, if a user wants to change the title or description to a photograph in his collection, all he would need to do is click on the title and a text field allowing him to make edits would appear. He would then have the option to save or cancel the changes.
4.
Etsy is a place where users can buy and sell all things that are handmade. One of the notable interfaces on Etsy is the "Create Your Esty Account" page. This particular registration page makes signing up for an account simple and straightforward. If users have questions, they can look over to the second column there is list of answers to frequently asked questions. By doing so, Etsy does not need to send users away to separate page when they are in the process of creating account. When users are sent away from the page, it decreases their chances of returning to the registration page to sign up for an account.
5.
Carbonica is a company that teaches individuals how to reduce their carbon footprint.
The overall website interface is graphical and iconic, making the process of finding specific information an easy task. Although Carbonica is an informative website, it does not overwhelm its users with textbook style content. Instead, the content is divided up into several sections and presented in an informal way that makes the information digestable to the common user.
