Category Archives: Marketing Usability

What Facebook Can Learn From Netflix When Disrupting the User Experience

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Theo Mandel, Ph.D.

I love it when journalists don’t let big companies get away abusing their customer’s experience. Here’s the latest user experience blooper, pointed out by Scott Davis at Forbes Magazine: Any time you mess with the user experience, you’re going to … Continue reading →

Posted in Marketing Usability, Technology, Usability Bloopers, Web Usability | Leave a comment

Walmart’s $1.85 billon dollar mistake

Posted on April 14, 2011 by Theo Mandel, Ph.D.

Good companies listen to their customers – better customers figure out the appropriate questions to ask BEFORE they ask for feedback from their users! There may be other factors (economic factors, for example) that may be involved, but this case … Continue reading →

Posted in Marketing Usability, Real-World Usability, User Centered Design (UCD), User Experience | Leave a comment

Why are User Experience (UX) and User-Centered Design (UCD) getting a bad rap?

Posted on February 21, 2011 by Theo Mandel, Ph.D.

There have been a number of recent articles, blog posts and list comments trashing user experience design (UX) as unneeded, misguided and counter-productive to good product design and development. As a long-time user experience practitioner, I was taken aback by these … Continue reading →

Posted in Application Usability, Healthcare Usability, Marketing Usability, Mobile Usability, Product Design, Product Development, Technology, Usability Consulting, User Centered Design (UCD), User Experience, Web Usability | 1 Comment

Mandel presentes “Golden Rules of Usable Web Design” at Direct Marketing Association Conference

Posted on May 23, 2010 by Theo Mandel, Ph.D.

Theo Mandel, Ph.D. presented a session at Rocky Mountain Direct Marketing Association’s (RMDMA) Direct Marketing Day conference in Denver on May 19, 2010. The session was titled, “The Golden Rules of Usable Web Design.” Each year, the Rocky Mountain Direct … Continue reading →

Posted in Marketing Usability, Search Engine Optimization, Technology, Web 2.0 | Leave a comment

“Mad Libs” Style Form Increases Conversion 25-40%

Posted on February 25, 2010 by Theo Mandel, Ph.D.

UI designers are always looking for new ways to do common tasks better and faster. This new style of filling in forms may prove to be one of those new twists that makes people think, “Why didn’t I think of … Continue reading →

Posted in Application Usability, Marketing Usability, User Centered Design (UCD), Users, Web 2.0, Web Content, Web Usability | Leave a comment

UX Problems at American Airlines

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Theo Mandel, Ph.D.

Dustin Curtis wrote a blog article about American Airlines’ poor website design. He received an e-mail from an Interaction Designer within the company explaining the corporate culture at American Airlines with regard to the website. The designer was promptly fired … Continue reading →

Posted in Application Usability, Marketing Usability, Real-World Usability, Technology, Web Usability | 1 Comment

Classic “This is Broken” Seth Godin Video

Posted on August 18, 2009 by Theo Mandel, Ph.D.

Seth Godin, bestselling author, entrepreneur and agent of change in his Gel 2006 video. Why are so many things broken? In this entertaining talk – one of the favorites of Gel 2006 – Seth Godin gives a tour of things … Continue reading →

Posted in Application Usability, Marketing Usability, Real-World Usability, Usability Bloopers, Usability Humor, User Centered Design (UCD), Web Usability | Leave a comment

Chicago Company Sues Woman for $50,000 over a Tweet!

Posted on August 6, 2009 by Theo Mandel, Ph.D.

The ultimate in bad legal strategies!! Chicago’s Horizon Realty, a property management company, filed a $50,000 libel lawsuit Monday against a former tenant, Amanda Bonnen, over one of her alleged Twitter posts. Horizon argues that Bonnen libeled the company with … Continue reading →

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Usability and Emotional Design

Posted on July 10, 2009 by Theo Mandel, Ph.D.

For the marketing types…tongue-in-cheek look at usability and marketing. Also a website at www.usability4evil.com Chris Nodder, Nielsen Norman Group chris@usability4evil.com Our knowledge as usability practitioners can be used for evil as well as for good. As evil usability practitioners, our … Continue reading →

Posted in Marketing Usability, Real-World Usability, Web Usability | 1 Comment

Continental Airlines Turns Mobile Phones Into Boarding Passes

Posted on May 28, 2008 by Theo Mandel, Ph.D.

More new technology ideas to improve real-world usability! Road-weary travelers (and everyone traveling these days) no longer enjoy the air travel experience. Companies must diligently look for new ways to use technology to improve the user experience of their common … Continue reading →

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Starbucks customers stampede website – Be Careful What You Ask For!

Posted on May 28, 2008 by Theo Mandel, Ph.D.

Hundreds of coffee-obsessed consumers chimed in moments after Starbucks launched a Web site asking customers to pitch changes the company should make to revive its struggling US business. Be careful what you ask for – You may get overwhelmed by … Continue reading →

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The Ultimate Multi-Function Cell Phone (Humor)

Posted on January 31, 2008 by Theo Mandel, Ph.D.

You knew it was coming…move over iPhone! Here is a cellular phone that *really* can multitask! The Sumsing Turbo 3000 Xi mobile phone! View the video!

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Designing Usability and User Experience for Consumer Medical Devices

Posted on January 4, 2008 by Theo Mandel, Ph.D.

Usability and comsumer experience are not only important for computer hardware and software. Consumer medical devices must not only be usable – they must be visually and physically appealing: “Today, a medical device must be more than functional; it must … Continue reading →

Posted in Healthcare Usability, Marketing Usability | 2 Comments

Wackiest Product Warning Labels

Posted on April 6, 2007 by Theo Mandel, Ph.D.

To highlight the wacky side of usability, here’s a CNN/Money article on the wackiest product warning labels. With the stupid things people do and the litigious society we live in, you have to wonder how we came to arrive at … Continue reading →

Posted in Marketing Usability | 1 Comment

Why the Geek Squad has become a Technological Necessity

Posted on January 30, 2007 by Theo Mandel, Ph.D.

Get Me The Geeks! How Tricky Technology Is Giving Rise To The Geeks CBS News – 60 Minutes January 28, 2007 Ever seen those funky-looking VW bugs driving around town? Have you felt the need to pick up the phone … Continue reading →

Posted in Marketing Usability, Technology | 1 Comment

Perceived vs. Actual Usability – Lexus “Self Park” Feature

Posted on January 23, 2007 by Theo Mandel, Ph.D.

Have you seen the TV commercials for the Lexus LS 460 “Park Assist” feature, or more technically named, the “Lexus Advanced Guidance Parking System?” The Lexus demos and commercials show the feature to be incredibly simple and easy to use. … Continue reading →

Posted in Marketing Usability, Technology, Usability Bloopers | 1 Comment