User experience – Andrew Minko

Browser Popups: Threat or Menace?

“Firefox has blocked a popup.” I was bit shocked by this alert because I was on my brokerage web portal. WTF? Don’t their web developers know that only the most scurrilous and evil websites use popups? Didn’t they ever experience the screen being flooded with malicious popups appearing faster than humanly possible to close?

Then I found a website with detailed instructions on how to build popups using Java. It read, in part: “In the past, evil sites abused popups a lot. A bad page could open tons of popup windows with ads. So now most browsers try to block popups and protect the user.” It then went on to provide details on how to code popups.

I thought to myself: Am I really that old? Are evil popups only from a dim, murky past? Has the playing field for popups been so sanitized that popups are considered just another way to show more info to the user?

:: sigh :: The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. If a web developer grew up with modern browsers that blocked popups by default, then popups probably don’t seem so bad. Also, a “chat with agent” box at the bottom of the screen can be very useful. Finally, providing one special offer or survey when you close a B2C browser seems like a good way to increase user engagement.

Now I think the minimal use of popups makes sense. However, let’s not go crazy and try to make the BLINK attribute in HTML or CSS a standard element. If a scurrilous website is too lazy to simulate blinking with a gif file, then they should not be encouraged (lol).

The Three Biggest Lies

20-years ago, the biggest lie was “The check is in the mail.”

10-years ago, the biggest lie was “Please listen carefully as our menu options have recently changed.”

Today the biggest lie is “We care about your privacy.”

Recently my cable internet provider updated their privacy policy. They were actually honest about avoiding sweeping grandiose promises. When they rolled out their new privacy policy, they introduced it as:

“We know you care about your privacy and the protection of your personal information.

“We also know it is our responsibility to be clear about how we protect your information.

Like most companies, they then go on for about 2,000 words (10-pages) of detailed explanations of how they share your information with 3rd parties and adamantly refuse to acknowledge the “Do Not Track” setting of your browser. (I consider it less than honest to loudly proclaim “We do not SELL your information” when they have entered into 3rd party relationships to exchange data for the purpose of increasing ad revenue. Consumers are rarely given the information to block this type of sharing.)

Fortunately there is a wonderful browser plug-in called Privacy Badger that enables you to enforce “Do Not Track.” I’ve been using it for a few years now and commend it to you https://www.eff.org/privacybadger

Image via Tenor.com

Extreme Corporate Laziness?

I’m all for avoiding unnecessary work. I got an email from the bank that issues my airline credit card. They wanted me to provide updated housing and income information.

Naturally, I suspected this was a phishing scam. But, a careful review of the email headers and links showed they were truly from the bank in question.

So, it got me to thinking: What a bunch lazy so-and-so’s.* On the surface that might seem like a mundane request. However, this particular bank also has the mortgage on my house, receives my payroll check through ACH automatic deposit, and provides me with a free credit score every month. If anyone should know my housing and income situation it’s the very bank asking for these data.

To compound the laziness, every year I get a pamphlet that reminds me I cannot opt-out of the bank sharing information with their subsidiaries and vendors who provide contracted services. For example, I cannot opt-out of the retail banking division sharing my payroll deposit status with the credit-card division. Likewise, I cannot opt-out of the mortgage services division sharing my mortgage status with the credit-card division.

Alas, it appears that banks simply do not leverage customer information to provide a unified and integrated user experience. Despite the trillions of dollars banks have invested in computer systems, we are still stuck in the 1980s when it comes to customer service. Call the wrong department and one is flatly told “I cannot help you.” Sometimes they won’t even transfer you, but make you hang-up and call a different number.

The dictionary definition of “lazy” is “unwilling to work or use energy.” Yes, that seems to fit in my opinion.

* My 7th grade homeroom teacher never lost his temper nor used an obscenity. “So-and-so’s” was his all purpose phrase for those beneath contempt (lol). I used it in my blog post our respect for this fine man.

Image via GIPHY

What does pushing the crosswalk button do?

Who hasn’t seen kids wildly pressing the crosswalk button a dozen or more times as they wait for the light to change? They hope that pressing the button repeatedly will speed up the process so they don’t have to wait so long.

It doesn’t work that way.

But, why not?

It’s a good example of how the design and function of something doesn’t match the user’s wants. From a purely engineering viewpoint, pressing the button switches the next green light sequence from standard to alternate. Standard is a short period of time suitable for cars to cross the intersection. Alternate is a longer amount of time that a pedestrian would need. After the first press, pushing the button again and again does nothing.

Back when traffic lights were controlled by cams and relays, having an alternate, longer green cycle was a huge breakthrough.

Isn’t it now archaic? In the digital age, there’s no reason why pushing the button repeatedly couldn’t be processed differently. More like a game, no?