It wasn’t until after I got my Kindle, Amazon’s electronic book, that it dawned on me- “Why didn’t Amazon do this years ago?” Considering they’re one of the biggest channels for moving books one would have thought selling a device that taps into their distribution channel as seamlessly as the Kindle does would be a no-brainer. Eventually Amazon had its “ah-ha” moment, probably after witnessing the popularity of the iPod and the iTunes music store.

While electronic books have been around for years it seems they never really took off. Factors contributing the slow adoption most likely include limitations of the display and battery life but moreso because the distribution channel hasn’t been seamless. First one had to find a book in an ebook format and then transfer it via computer to ebook itself. What makes the Kindle unique- and not just a collection of circuits and memory- is the display technology and the ease in which books can be purchased and downloaded.

The display uses “electronic ink” as opposed to a backlit LCD. This makes reading- the primary function of the Kindle- easy. At 167 ppi this is more than the typical computer monitor. I’ve used the Kindle outside in bright light and it’s just like reading a printed page. The device itself is about as big as a modern paperback and is lightweight and easy to hold. It comes with a leather case, but isn’t secure in the case, so I usually take it out for reading, for fear of it slipping out.

There are also a handful of features built into the Kindle that make experience of reading better. I’m able to adjust the font size to one of six levels for any text I’m reading. This is a great boon to accessibility for those with visual impairments. And while I’m reading if I come across a word I don’t know I can scroll to that line, click the wheel and selec the Look Up option. The Kindle has a built-in dictionary and will display a page with each unique word and its definition. Additionally I can “highlight” text, clip portions of text and dog ear pages.

The second remarkable technology is the built-in wireless. This isn’t wi-fi, but what Amazon calls Whispernet- Sprint’s national high-speed (EVDO) data network. What’s so special about that? Well, first, it’s FREE! Second, and more importantly, is that the Kindle can connect to the Amazon store wirelessly and download a book in about a minute (of course I pay for the book, but not the connection).This untethers the Kindle from the computer to transfer books and creates the seamless channel from distribution to consumption. Besides connecting to the Amazon store wireless I can also connect to the Internet wirelessly. This isn’t a feature that they want to promote necessarily, since the very basic browser is within a menu item called “Experiemental,” but it’s there and with it I can browse sites, blogs, and more.

Because the Kindle was able to oversome those three big hurdles in adoption (availability of books, transferring books to the device and quality of display) I think it has shot at becoming ubiquituous. It does what it’s supposed to do- deliver books and make them easily readable- and does it well. Of course, the Kindle does have some quarks that will hopefully be addressed in future models. For instance, I’m limited as far as the display of images (with only 4-level gray scale), but again, this device is for reading. The chiclet-like keyboard also isn’t conducive to lots of typing, but by using a service like Google Reader its’ possible to aggregate various blogs and avoid having to do much typing.

The interface is very simple- basically a list of the items on the Kindle that I can read. And the controls are equally as simple. The main naviation controls are physical buttons (more like paddles) for the “Next Page” and “Previous Page” functions, placed on the right and left sides of the device, respectively. Then there’s the wheel. I’m intrigued by the wheel because, while it does what it should, I can’t help but wonder if there was a better way. The wheel is like a jog wheel- it scrolls up and down and also acts like a button in that it can be pressed. Since the screen is not a touch screen the viewer needs some way of selecting a book to read, a link on the browser page, or the font size to be displayed.

Above the wheel is a display column, separate from the main Kindle display. This columnar display houses a silver marker that moves up and down with the scrolling of the wheel and aligns with the various menu options. When it’s placed next to the menu option you want you click the wheel to select it. This also goes for links on a web page. If there are multiple links on a web page a menu will appear with a list of the optional links and one uses the wheel to select the specific link. Not extremely effecient, but not horrible either.

Now that I’ve used the Kindle for two months I’m still really pleased with its performance (with the wireless turned off the battery really lasts a long time), convenience (books, magazine, and blogs at my finger tips), and overall ease of use (I turn it on and begin reading). I’ve read reviews where customers think the Kindle should become more of a “mobile device.” Frankly, I don’t wanted a bloated device where people can cal/email/IM/twitter/blog/etc me while I’m reading. For those frenetic multi-taskers who have the attention span of a gnat then read away on the iPhone. I’m a happy Kindle customer who will continue to purchase books through Amazon, read for pleasure, and appreciate the times when I’m not ubiquitously “connected.”

Intro to IA

In my last posting Persuasion Architecture Part 1 I talked about the theory behind this idea. Namely, a site visitor needs resolution and answers to questions before following down a path and the better we can address those issues the more likely we can nudge our visitor along (towards our conversion point). We begin our work by getting clear about where we want our site visitor to end up- what does a conversion look like? A paid donation? A completed registration? A purchased book?When we know where we want the visitor to end up then we can anticipate the questions a visitor might have along that path.

The Eisenberg’s add an intersting spin to this by factoring in the personality type of the person we’re trying to persuade. Like most systems that attempt to describe human nature their system also uses four categories: the competitive, methodical, spontaneous, and humanistic. These types run spectrum around the use of time, attitude, and desires.

Competitive: driven, busy and wants the benefits: what can this do for me (i.e. what will it get me)?

Methodical: driven, deliberate and wants the mechanics: how will this help me (i.e. how does it work)?

Spontaneous: easy going, engaging and wants acceptance: why will this make me better (i.e. why are these features important)?

Humanistic: easy going, diffuse and wants to belong: who else has done/used this (i.e. who will I be like)?

Now we can begin sketching out how one of these types moves along a path of links to end up at the conversion point. Let’s use the example of making an online donation; our conversion point is the “Thank you for donating” page. A great many sites who take donations simply have a link:

Donate

If you received a plain white note in the mail and it said “marry me”- would you? Of course, the risks in marriage are more substantial than simply clicking a link in error and my point is that- wouldn’t be better to know a little more about what I’m getting myself into before I commit?

Before our visitor commits to the Donate link (a Conversion Beacon in PA-speak) he or she may need to have a few questions answered. The Eisenberg’s call these Points of Resolution. And it’s at these points that we use the four types and their needs to anticipate those questions. This process is meant to mirror the traditional sales process and in our case, since we can’t speak to this visitor face to face and sell him or her on donating (or registering, buying, subscribing, posting, etc.) our site needs to antipcate those things that might need to be resolved before the visitor continues and donates, registers, or buys.

Dan, a competitive type will see the Donate and link and (perhaps) need to have the following points of resolution answered:
- What credit cards does the site accept?
- What happens to the money?
- What is the process for making a donation?

Some of these can be presented as links- for example, “How do I donate online?” that links to a brief explanation of how the online process works. Others, like “what happens to the money” can be preseted as short text near the Conversion Beacon (read: Near the donate block there is a block that contains a short teaser about the charities supported by these donations). Small icons of credit cards can answer Dan’s first question. In a few seconds these questions can be resolved and the visitor feels more confident in making his or choice to donate.

This methodology has been used traditionally in ecommerce type sites because the monetary benefits can easily be measured (and are- the Eisenberg’s have some great case studies with hard numbers backing up their methods). Aside from any capitalistic gains, it certainly fits nicely within the desire for more humane interfaces since it provides the end user with more information to make better choices for himself or herself.

Yesterday I walked into a local retailer and found this widget I’d heard about. I was considering buying it, but had a few questions for the saleman, so I went over to him and asked “Can you tell me more about this widget, like how long will it last between charges?”
“Buy it now,” he replied.
“Well, I might, but I have a few questions. Besides battery life, what kind of warranty does it come with?”
“Buy it now,” he said.
I pursed my lips, “Yeah…I’m thinking about it but I need to know how this will work with my computer. Are the cables included?”
“But it now,” he smiled.
I stuffed my hands into my pocket to keep from strangling him and sharply turned around and left the store.

Okay, while that didn’t really happen to me yesterday this kind of scenario does happen to folks every day on the web. Many sites are created under the assumptions that visitors don’t read text, can’t navigate, and will buy/register/forward/embed/link/invite/rate/read/share/upload/select/vote/etc. simply because we provide a link for doing such. Sure, some of these actions are low risk, but some of them- given the amount of information we encounter each day, our available time and money, and personal goals at the moment- require us to make choices.

Persuasion Architecture (developed by the Eisenberg brothers at Future Now, Inc.) overlays the traditional sales process (prospecting, initial contact, present, handle objection, and close) onto the web. Many sites do a good job of trying to close the deal (Buy Now) but a poor job of handling objections- the critical step before the close.

The name “persuasion architecture” is spin on traditional “information architecture,” which is concerned with how information is organized and accessed on a website.
The concept behind persuasion architecture simply implies that there is information that will help someone make a choice and that information must be availale to satisfy any objections before the choice is made (and hopefully the choice we want the person to make). In the traditional retail situation a salesperson is available to handle a buyer’s objections, answer questions, and give the buyer a warm fuzzy that he or she is indeed making the right choice. Had the salesperson in my store example above simply and succinctly answered my questions the likelihood of buying the widget would have increased greatly.

All of us have questions when using the web- from the simple question “where will this link take me if I click it? (and is it worth the risk)” to more complicated ones like, “If I order this $500 stereo component online can I return it? If so, how? Who else liked this component? How will this component interface with my existing system? What cables will I need?” A site that can answer my questions, overcome my objections and instill confidence that I am making the right choice is the site that will close the sale, gain a registration, or encourage me to take action.

Next week in Part 2 of Persuasion Architecture we’ll look at the questions different types of people generally have before making a decision. These can be directly tied to our site’s personae to ensure we’re speaking to the right audience.

Softerware Consulting offers requirements writing, information architecture, and usability services that support your software and web development efforts.

Requirements Writing
Documenting the functions and features of your software or website is a crucial first step towards achieving your goal of a successful release. Softerware Consulting can help you clearly define and document your requirements to give your project clear boundaries, more accurate development estimates, and a foundation for thorough testing.

Usability Testing
Usability testing produces candid comments about how people feel when using your software or website. Softerware Consulting can develop a customized usability test plan for your project, facilitate and carry-out testing, and produce a thorough report including video and practical recommendations for improving any issues that are uncovered. Usability testing can be done on large or small projects and can be tailored to fit any budget.

Information Architecture
Information architecture is the art and science of organizing, labeling, and relating information to meet the needs of a particular audience. Softerware can produce site maps, clickable wireframes, personas, and other artifacts to empower your development team and delight your site visitors.