Pudding, Selective Vision and User Testing

Well, this morning, clear as day, I glanced at the "pudding" links and discreetly above the links was the phrase "Sponsored Links." Below the links Google explains the sponsored links. I truly had not seen these explanatory tags that were in plain vision. Google was not spying without permission but erring on the side of full and plain disclosure. One can refer to my oversight as the "Duh-factor"...Duh, Laura! But I actually believe it reveals how we use the web or interact with computers in general.

Here are various explanations. When doing e-mail, I am extremely focused. I look at the content of the message and concentrate my efforts on responding. I block out what I deem peripheral to my essential task. Another explanation: The site is new to me and I still have not explored all of its features. This is not a behavior specific to computers: it is how I actually operate in the real world. When I am new to a place/task, I figure out only the minimal necessary that will allow me to function effectively straight away. Once I am working effectively then I accord myself the luxury to explore further, to meander. I guess I am very pragmatic. Yet another explanation: The right margin with the links only shows up when you are reading the e-mails; it is absent from the in-box page. This formatting variance between two typical pages of the site, in short the inconsistency, does not help me become familiar with a space dedicated to links. Since the space is not present on every Gmail page, my eye is simply not trained to either linger there or inquire about the space.

These comments reveal how each individual interacts in distinct ways with computers. When I was doing user testing on the usability of certain web sites, I was always amazed how users on occasion failed to see the obvious links on the home page. This is perhaps why certain sites or programs such as Dreamweaver allow users multiple options to accomplish the same task: it is not a one-size-fit-all world out there.