Information Pollution
Does anybody else see the irony in Jakob Neilsen's article on Information Pollution?
Excessive word count and worthless details are making it harder for people to extract useful information. The more you say, the more people tune out your message.
This summary contains undoubtedly good advice, but one line of good advice doesn't make a very good article. So Neilsen then repeats his advice over the course of the next 561 words, saying little which he didn't say in the first 27. Plus he sneaks in a swipe at weblogs with this line;
Sites overflow with either low-value stream-of-consciousness postings or bland corporatese.
Meow.
Danny has a 'go' at jakob Nielsen, with I have to say a lot of merit. I understand the point quite clearly about being concise, particularly in a large or commercial website.
Weblogs are however a different kettle of fish. Design for your audience is perhaps a better suggestion.
My audience is myself, and that's who I write for and to. Occasionally I will enter into conversation, and very valuable that is too, but its not a website in the sense that Nielsen is discussing.
Posted by Paul Goodison at August 12, 2003 08:33 AM | TrackBack