[Sigia-l] Usability on "The Fold"

[Listera]

chaniyas at nyc.rr.com:

> Also, as of last year, we had some findings that monitor sizes greater than
> 1024x768 account for 63% of internet users hence the use of the 800x600
> monitor screen is declining.

Is its NOT (just) the size of the monitor that matters, it's the size of the
browser window AND the browser viewport, the live area that actually
displays the web content, sandwiched in between the toolbars, scrollbars,
status area and the rest of the browser 'chrome'.

Just because a user has a 1024x768 monitor does not mean that they are using
a maximized browser window. Just because they have a maximized browser
window does not mean that the viewport available to you to display your
content is anything that approaches 1024x768. Just because two viewports (of
different content/design) are identically sized does not mean that they'll
get the same traction. Just because all these variables are the same doesn't
mean that the usage patterns among IE/non-IE users and on different
platforms will be the same.

This question always comes up in client meetings and I get tired of giving
crafted technical answers. So I now give this analogy: Do you ever go to a
supermarket just to 'view' the tabloids? Of course not. But every time you
go through a supermarket checkout you get to see the tabloids by the
counter. Are tabloids the highest-margin item there? Not by a long shot. So
why is it so common? "Best practices" and "standards" I suppose. :-)
Impossibly, millions of people go to supermarkets every day to get what they
want, pass by tabloids at checkout, never read or buy them. So if your
mission is to sell prune juice, do you place it by the checkout? And what's
the next impulse buy?

I know reality has to be downsized to mcnugget bites for Jakob to slap his
99% sticker on it, but for practicing designers/IAs the best thing would be
to think through the context, I'm afraid. The new fold is 'relevance'. And
layout is just *one* driver that creates the context for it. This is why God
created Designers solve such problems. :-)

Ziya
Nullius in Verba