Convincing Usability

At work today, I was asked to "briefly" explain to a client why we designed a web transactional system the way we did.

We made it operate and appear like an installation guide, or a wizard. So this stepped the user through a complicated process, one section and page at a time.

Our client, on the other hand, didn't understand why we didn't just chunk all the information up on the same page, and throw a fat submit button on the bottom for good measure. They obviously weren't thinking about the users.

So, as directed by senior management, I was to quote specific usability essays and books written by "experts in the field of human factors".

I, ofcourse, quoted Nielsen's "Web Usability" book and some of his "Ten Usability Heuristics" while explaining how a linear process is more efficient and user-friendly than a big junk pile of information.

I think it will make our client happy.