Sometimes design says “hey, don’t notice me.” And it’s perfect.
I just had a conversation with a friend showing the importance of a well designed website, especially an information heavy site, and how great it can be when good design is “unnoticed”.
THE ISSUE
He has to renew his drivers license. He wants to to know where, how much, and if they accept credit cards.
THE PROCESS / THE PROBLEM
First question: MO.gov, department of transportation, or department of revenue?
MO.gov?
Home page.
There is a lot going on there. Scrolling images. More images to manually scroll through to see links. Three youtube videos. A bit much.
I’ll try online services. Ok, under More Services I’ll try Driver’s License Office.
Ah, the Dept of Revenue page. Ok, Driver License.
“Renew” is listed on the page once, in the exciting heading “Do you need to obtain or renew a driver license, nondriver identification card or permit? You’ve found the front door to all the information you may need about driver licenses, …”
Nowhere else. No links to click.
Recapping real world clicks to find out how to renew a Missouri Drivers License:
Mo.gov > Online Services > More Services > Driver’s License Office > Drivers License (on new website) and nothing yet.
Note, this is also where googling “MO drivers license renewal” takes you.
Drivers Licensing Checklist? Scroll down a bit and see this:
“Renewal
Acceptable documents for Proof of Name, Date of Birth, and Place of Birth, Proof of Social Security Number, and Proof of Missouri Residential Address.”
Give up.
LETS SEE HOW IT SHOULD BE
Gov.uk won 2013 Design of the year.
“”You shouldn’t come to the website and say ‘wow, look at the graphic design!,’” Terrett says. “You should come to the website to find out what the minimum wage is.”
3 clicks. Everything I need to know.
Not from space, but still best sky dive video
I spent 2 hours yesterday watching a man float in a balloon. It’s been three years ( ha! Exactly to the day today!) since I was that captivated by a balloon. Then it was a weather ballon reported to be carrying a boy, floating with the wind, being followed by news helicopters.
As cool as it was watching a dude float to the edge of space and jump, I’d rather watch this video looped for 2 hours. It’s a year old, but still the coolest video I’ve seen on the net.
Experience Human Flight – Melbourne Skydive Centre – by Betty Wants In & InfinityList
Baby Design!
Exciting things are happening to the Sad Bird family. Soon there will be a little happy bird flying around the St. Louis headquarters. This brings a ton of joy, but also a ton of headache. I’m not worried about 4 a.m. feedings or anything like that. I’m worried about having my house overrun by primary colors. I imagine Einstein was raised among muted drab colors without the annoyance of Baby Einstein videos. And look at him; he turned out to be Einstein! Lack of inexpensive cool baby items may be a post for another day. This is about great baby design. Baby clothes! (more…)
Attention To Detail
Now thats something. I guess that detail is why Volkswagen is das unofficial automobile of Sad Bird Design.
You’ve selected… Brown Eyed Girl
I’ve probaly spent more hours watching Seinfeld than any other show or movie (Forest Gump and A League of Their Own are probably a close 2nd and 3rd). I love the little inside jokes that Seinfeld creates; the man hands, everything with Puddy, and my god, the anti-dentite.
Everytime then refrence one of their producs or movies I immediately want to create something for it. Once I found a company that had made some fake posters for Seinfelds fake movies I thought, I have to make my favorite.
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