A semi-mentor.
I've referred to Jakob Nielsen about 15 times in these columns. Sometimes (when
I agree with him) I'll quote him, while at other times (when I don't agree with
him) I'll explain that his approach to web usability stems from totally different
basic assumptions than those upon which the Boidem is based. In other words, it's
not that I don't agree with him, rather that I don't think he's relevant to this
particular framework.
Since Nielsen thinks that a central aspect of good web page design is playing
by the already established rules, he would find nothing wrong in designing a site
that looks like other sites. Quite the contrary, in his view individuality is
rarely a virtue. (Just where experimentation and pushing the envelope comes in
is, to my mind at least, a serious problem in Nielsen's universe.)
On the other hand, I doubt that Nielsen would object to limiting the levels of
nesting in a web site. He's certainly in favor of getting information that a user
might seek across as simply and as quickly as possible, and deep-nesting would
be a hindrance toward this.
But of course I'm free to pick and choose what I accept from him and what I don't.
And I exercise that freedom quite freely.
Go to: Finding what's right for you, or
Go to: Doing a lot with very little, or
Go to: Templates from hell.