Jakob Nielsen, well known for his usability advocacy, recently wrote a post called Weblog Usability: The Top Ten Design Mistakes. I think he’s off his rocker. I am disappointed in the article.
1. No author biographies
Okay, I agree with this one. I think a blog should have an author bio, but I don’t see how not having one makes the blog less usable.
2. No author photo
Could someone please explain to me how not providing a photo of yourself makes a blog less usable?
3. Nondescript posting titles
I agree with this to a point, but it’s a blog. Who cares? It doesn’t seem to be affecting Greg Storey‘s readership.
4. Links don’t say where they go
Most blog posts I’ve read that use techniques such as “there’s more here and here” provide context in the post itself. It is rarely an issue and hardly frequent enough to be warranted as being in the top ten.
5. Classic hits are buried
I’m not sure this is an issue of usability. Perhaps I am an anomaly, but I cannot recall ever going to a blog and asking myself, “Now, I wonder if they have a popular post on ColdFusion and Ajax“.
6. The calendar is the only navigation
I agree with this one. At the very least someone should have a search box. This is a downside of some third-party hosted blogs.
7. Irregular publishing frequency
Oh, please. Since when did blogs become a newspaper. Blogs are about posting what you want, when you want. If someone’s blogging solely to attract traffic, maybe they need to rethink the purpose of a blog.
8. Mixing topics
See above.
9. Forgetting that you write for your future boss
Agreed.
10. Having a domain name owned by a weblog service
Who cares? It doesn’t matter. I have had several people comment that found my other blog to be authoritative and a premiere blog. People really don’t care where it’s located. It’s not a home-based business. Well, okay, maybe for some. But for those for whom it is, they have their own domain.
Overall, this post seems like he was trying way too hard. Oh well. Better luck next time.
Agreed Kim. Jakob’s area is usability, and I really didn’t see the relevance of most of what he had to say. I think he may be losing touch a bit, he’s become such a big name, he figures that people will just automatically agree with everything that comes out of his mouth.
I don’t even bother reading his site anymore.
Jakob still has a site? I wasn’t even aware it was still active since it never shows up in my RSS reader.
Oh, wait…
That’s hilarious, Jeremy.
He says more and more stupid things; the kinds of things people shake their head at, but still wonder, “Hey it is Jakob after all, maybe he has a point?”
What exactly kind of “point” has Jakob had since he published his first book in 1996? He is SO has been —
Kim, you are very correct, and I think it the post is objective. I have been the same opinions about Jakob. I have been questioning his madness since the year 2000.
I don’t know if I’d go so far as to say he is mad; he has a lot of good and sensible things to say.
I just think he was off his rocker on this one.