Interface Design by Pranjala Singh

Question: Facebook, Myspace, Google+, which website do you think that it contains the best user interface design?

Users: 18-30 year old

Facebook

Review: The interface's visibility is excellent because everything is well organized, simple, easy to look at yet classy. The design is made so everything is where you would think it will be, which makes it logical. Facebook makes sure the user does not feel trapped, they allow the user to edit, delete posts and exit the website without a hassle. Important words and links are more flashy which makes it easy for the user to navigate the site, with minimal information that's useless. Facebook makes you confirm most posts to make sure there is minimal errors in using the website. The only fault Facebook might have is that they created a separate app for messenger. This makes it harder for users to be on the website as well as be able to have fast and direct communication with friends. Facebook also has a tutorial when you first join it to make sure you understand where the functions are located so you will not have a hard time.

MySpace

Review: MySpace, like most other social networking websites, has a user interface which is not too flashy making it great in the concept of visualization. One problem is that it isn't as fast and simple as most other social networks. There are many spam and advertisements on the interface which might make the users feel a bit "trapped". Communication is also slow on this website because the interface is slow, you would have to IM/Call the person in order to communicate with them which makes it complicated for people to navigate the website. Error prevention and effective error handling are not so good on this social network's user interface because it does not provide you with anything to re-check your posts. Also the visibility of system status is not so good because you have to go to a friend's page to see check up on them instead of being given recent information regarding them.

Google+

Review: The visibility of system status is very on point in Google +. It also is a real-world match because the visualization in this website is very up to date and looks futuristic, classy and simple. There is a lot of potential in control and freedom as well. It is in a state of "Recognition, not recall" because even without prior knowledge of the interface of the website everything is in place and seems to be where it belongs (even for first time users). It has a aesthetic and minimalist design because the interface is very clean and only necessary words and functions are projected to the users. Google + provides online help in case you have problems using the website. It also contains good error prevention and effective error handling functions to provide the user with minimal mistakes. The only problem in this website might be that it is not receiving many users because it is not too mainstream.

Reflection: Out of all three of the websites: Google plus, MySpace and Facebook I must say that Google + has the best user interface. MySpace has a slow and cramped up user interface which makes the efficiency of the website very slow and it's slower in direct communication with friends. Myspace also contains many functions and words which are unnecessary and most users would not need them to be flashy as it can be distracting and annoying. Facebook has a great interface, it is easy and direct and you are able to find what you need to without the recall method. Recognition is a key point in Facebook but Facebook also contains a lot of spam and messenger problems which make it lower than what I think is the best website out there, Google +. Google plus is very simple, organized and reliable. It contains effective error handling and good error prevention, its up to date with the real-world, the visibility of the system is unbelievably excellent and you feel as if you are in control. It has an aesthetic minimalist design to provide the user with the best functions to navigate through the website and that's what a good user interface should include. Google plus also has flexibility because it contains a thing called "circles." Circles provide the user to be able to be included in other "zones" of friends but they can have their own zone too. By order I believe Myspace has the worst user interface, Facebook the 2nd place, and Google plus takes 1st place.