This post first appeared on my university blog,
One of the most known patterns, that is quite commonly often associated with Web 2.0 applications is a rich user experience. When defined as “Web 1.0″ the internet was a place that was mainly used to push information to the user. On a further note, Henning goes on to describe it as a closed, passive and static concept. Henning also associates Web 1.0 with the “eyes” as opposed to the “hands” with Web 2.0. Because Web 1.0 was a one way interaction, (the reader from the service/website) rich user experiences were not a common ground.
As early as 1992, the web was beginning to be used to deliver dynamic content, but it was very limited in the functionality that it could deliver. By definition, a rich user interface is elaborate, has complex formatting, multimedia, or depth of interaction and these conditions were not all met. LiveScript (or JavaScript as it is called now) was used to make things fly things around the screen and change objects based on user input, but developing anything serious was considered painful as most browsers were not compatible with it. It wasn’t till Microsoft introduced a function call XMLHttpRequest, which is defined by the W3C as “an object is an interface exposed by a scripting engine that allows scripts to perform HTTP client functionality, such as submitting form data or loading data from a remove Web site.” What this means is, that for the first time, data could be fetched much more efficiently from remote servers. Gone were the days of fetching a whole webpage if one wanted to grab a small amount of data. Google realised the power of this functionality and in introduced services such as Google Maps and Gmail. Gmail was continually checking the server for any new emails, as opposed to fetching whole new pages.
Jesse James Garrett of Adaptive Path described this new tactic as Ajax (Asynchronous Javascript And XML). Since then, the AJAX technique has been used to add functionality and depth of interaction to web pages and applications, which closely resemble the functionality of full blown desktop applications.
Using AJAX or other technologies (HTML5, Flash) to bring RUI via web applications and pages has many benefits suchs as:
- Lower site abandonment
- Higher conversion rates
- Reduced IT infrastructure and support costs
- Improved performance (as clients can now render a lot of information as well as help lift the workload of servers)
To successfully achieve a rich user experience, it is vital to follow best practices such as:
- Usability and simplicity first
- Search over structure
- Deep, adaptive personalisation
- Not designing the best case scenario
To put all of this in perspective, we can take a look at Skydrive by Microsoft. Skydrive is a file hosting service which allows for syncing and sharing. Microsoft has been known for a variety of applications that have been specifically developed for the desktop computer, such as the Office suite. With Skydrive, they have brought the most critical functionalities of the suite to the browser. While Skydrive allows you to store your files online, simply having a Microsoft Live account allows you to take advantage of other online MS services such as “Word Web App”, which allows you to edit and create word documents online! The web applications is also designed to communicate with any local installations of their desktop equivalents. The technology behind Skydrive isHTML5, which means that it is easily accessible from a number of devices, such as tablets and smart phones.
Skydrive brings usability and simplicity first, by stripping the original Word application and providing the bare essentials. If the user wishes to gain access to more in depth user experience, they have the option to open the file they are working in the desktop equivalent (given that it is installed on the local machine).
The Skydrive interface is very simplistic with clear metaphors
One of the first functions that is introduced in the top left corner is the search function. It’s metaphorical statement is very bold being cleverly placed in the top left corner as it gives the user the option to search for their desired file as opposed to manually sifting through the structure. Skydrive also offers a selection of applications that have been developed using its API, this deep integration, accessibility and personalisation often lead to lower service abandonment as the user’s documents stay easily accessible.
