Chapter 1 – Ambiguity rather than the obvious
Usability 101 tutorials will make the point that any good designer/IA/UE worth their salt will always incorporate the principle of recognition rather than recall into their designs. This rule states that we should make objects, actions, and options easily recognizable and understandable and is surely based upon sound cognitive psychology research.
However, I have done some research of my own and have made a very interesting discovery. I have uncovered that it is in man's very nature to attempt to find answers to the unknown. I discovered this fact when roaming the Science Museum in an attempt to locate the Game On exhibition (The exhibition that examines the technologies that have revolutionised the gaming world, on from the 21st October 2006 to 25 February 2007). On route I noticed that I would tend to only stop at interactive kiosks whose functions and purpose were not immediately obvious to me. Based upon this elaborate research therefore I propose that we should rewrite the textbooks and replace the recognition rather than recall sections with a new rule of thumb, ambiguity rather than the obvious.
It is simple really, if a UI design, or part of a UI design is ambiguous users will click, drag, hit and smash until they find out exactly what it is, how it works and what it does. Ambiguity therefore encourages exploration, and after all any good site (or any interactive medium for that matter) should be designed to encourage this, especially in the age of the possibility space and the world of 2.0.
So I propose we embrace ambiguity with open arms and reject all that is obvious. Curiosity did kill the cat after all!
(Disclaimer: this rule should be applied carefully, used within context and contrary to what this blog says is not actually based upon any sound cognitive research)