Comments on: Gucci.com revisited http://www.chausse.org/2006/11/guccicom-revisited/ A blog about web technology and culture Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:17:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Dave http://www.chausse.org/2006/11/guccicom-revisited/#comment-15223 Dave Wed, 29 Nov 2006 16:00:36 +0000 http://www.chausse.org/2006/11/guccicom-revisited/#comment-15223 I guess I was using "technically challenging" to mean "difficulty in usability", but that was before I actually got to use the site (it requires the latest browsers, I was back one version), and now I see it is indeed quite smooth. And enjoyable... I wish more shopping sites were as fun! I guess I was using “technically challenging” to mean “difficulty in usability”, but that was before I actually got to use the site (it requires the latest browsers, I was back one version), and now I see it is indeed quite smooth.

And enjoyable… I wish more shopping sites were as fun!

]]> By: Jeff http://www.chausse.org/2006/11/guccicom-revisited/#comment-15211 Jeff Wed, 29 Nov 2006 12:11:38 +0000 http://www.chausse.org/2006/11/guccicom-revisited/#comment-15211 Dave - there's nothing technically challenging about Gucci.com for users. In fact, if you go through an actual purchase process (be sure to stop before submitting the final order :) ), it's incredibly smooth. I think the site succeeds as Norman describes. Dave - there’s nothing technically challenging about Gucci.com for users. In fact, if you go through an actual purchase process (be sure to stop before submitting the final order :) ), it’s incredibly smooth. I think the site succeeds as Norman describes.

]]> By: Funky http://www.chausse.org/2006/11/guccicom-revisited/#comment-15189 Funky Wed, 29 Nov 2006 04:22:06 +0000 http://www.chausse.org/2006/11/guccicom-revisited/#comment-15189 It's not just usability. It's the simple fact the designer goods are caterted to a very specific target market. (the rich duh) So the rich know where to shop therefore they know the purchuse of a designer product is going to be a special experience. It’s not just usability. It’s the simple fact the designer goods are caterted to a very specific target market. (the rich duh) So the rich know where to shop therefore they know the purchuse of a designer product is going to be a special experience.

]]> By: Dave http://www.chausse.org/2006/11/guccicom-revisited/#comment-15188 Dave Wed, 29 Nov 2006 03:46:49 +0000 http://www.chausse.org/2006/11/guccicom-revisited/#comment-15188 Don Norman's thoughts on Emotional Design would seem to come into play here. Gucci is expecting people to react emotionally to the site, although per ToyMaker's argument, Gucci accomplished this at the expense of the usability. Norman would argue that the most successful design would succeed on multiple levels, including the attractiveness/appearance, the behavior (or perhaps the usability), and the "reflective" story that the site promotes. Personally, I would say that even if an emotional design is the goal, there's still a place for usability, even if you're pandering to a select few. Their audience may be economically or stylistically elite, but one shouldn't assume that they are technically l33t. Don Norman’s thoughts on Emotional Design would seem to come into play here. Gucci is expecting people to react emotionally to the site, although per ToyMaker’s argument, Gucci accomplished this at the expense of the usability.

Norman would argue that the most successful design would succeed on multiple levels, including the attractiveness/appearance, the behavior (or perhaps the usability), and the “reflective” story that the site promotes.

Personally, I would say that even if an emotional design is the goal, there’s still a place for usability, even if you’re pandering to a select few. Their audience may be economically or stylistically elite, but one shouldn’t assume that they are technically l33t.

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