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April 11, 2005
Ask Google?
I have to admit, something about the very "Ask Jeeves" plain-language searching Google has introduced. It feels like a work-around. A thrown-in. A last minute consideration. A bolt-on, if you will.
It does work. A definition does appear first in line. But so does the following operational message:
"The following words are very common and were not included in your search: what is."
This is a conflict in the system's message to the user. The returns provide a definition, indicating one thing. The system message suggests in error in how the keyword function is used, saying another thing.
Also, the only real obvious visual reference to the prescence of the definition and the news items (beyond the text content itself)is a graphical icon.
While most users will adjust quickly to this, it is something of a departure from the typical level of simplicity that I've become accustomed to in the Google user interface design.
With the new features getting launched lately i.e. maps and definitions (and I expect more in the future) it will be interesting to see how they improve their capabilities without sacrificing usability or ease of use in their interface design.
This has been the charm of Google. Simple, yet powerful.
It will take some careful steps to make sure it stays this way.
Posted by Derek Leverington at April 11, 2005 5:28 PM