Today I was checking out Instagram online – i’ve already looked at the ipad / iphone app and they have a polished designed – but the website UI design is basic, very basic. Given that i’m in the throws of product design for FlashIssue it really caught my eye. How can a product that has received such a list of glowing accolades looks like it leaped out of 1999:
From the color – or lack of it – to the DIY icons, to the default blue for links, it shouts “I’m in Alpha, dont be too hard on me”. But it isn’t in Alpha is it? Here we have a product that has virtually gone mainstream, albeit via ios (iphone/ipad) and I love it. It was clean, easy to navigate and got me up and running in under 30 seconds. So, here’s 3 good reasons why i can see this works. Now i’m viewing this mainly with my “get a product out fast and iterate” glasses because that’s the mode i’m personally in but i think it goes beyond that. This approach should have general broad appeal and here’s 3 good reasons:
- It saves money: Cut out all the design cost and back and forward. Design it so basic i could do it. Get the product out fast and cheap.
- Focuses on usability: A product will primarily succeed because it works well and not because of what it looks like. Strip back everything so the user clearly and cleanly can do what they need to do. It’s all too common to hear the comment, “our product is bombing because it looks bad”. No it’s bombing because the core functionality sucks.
- Increase speed to market: Take away all that time spent on design fluff and you’ll slash the time it’s takes to get your product out the door.
I know that all of this is very un-Apple and scoffs at the shiny-pretty-school-of-thought but maybe it’s time to stop putting on the make-up and kick our products out the door in their raw state.
Related articles
- How Instagram Stays in Focus (bokardo.com)
- Leaked image suggests Instagram might arrive for Android devices soon (mobigyaan.com)
- The wonderful world of Instagram (emschupr.wordpress.com)
