Or, maybe asking someone to click on an icon on the desktop when you mean clicking it on the screen ‘desktop’, not looking for the icon in their desk.

Recently, one of my non-tech friends couldn’t get back to our homepage because I create an actual button that said ‘home’. Although I expect the masses have learned to click on a logo or header to get back to root, you still have users that don’t.

I was confused about the “Zebra Crossing” in the UK. I was like… random, roaming Zebras? SWEET. But no… it was for people crossing.

Luckily us— “cross walk”– seems a bit more “obvious” don’t you think?

Poor guy. His street smarts are a little worrisome.

Queue side tangent of rambliness:

I have to say… I’m a little tired of ‘beat-you-over-the-head’ super explanations. I work at a kid site and they’re ALWAYS trying to put more copy out there to really “nail home” how to engage in the simplistic form for MANY different learning types (which is a LOT of info to read… regurgitated over and over). Sometimes the best way to learn is just to fiddle around and figure it out.

Kids aren’t going to be able to open a door without explicit instructions.

Besides… oh what an adventure that guy must have had. He learned how to navagate a CROSS WALK! Woo hoo! And not just navagate it– illicit the help of a fellow community membor.

Gotta love it when the community comes together to progress. YAY.

Get things in motion with focus groups and asking friends and family to give you feedback.

However, it’s important to also make sure that you don’t over simplify things or make them so that functionality is lost.

This is why the Apple team is so revered. The iPhone doesn’t have a static keypad, but you can still send texts, calls and emails on its touch screen. The iPod only really has one button on it, but thats all you need. Who wants 5 different buttons to accidentally hit.