On Tagging Interfaces and Usability
A new user interface design for tagging ...
"Over on the Signal vs. Noise weblog a post highlighted the different tag input interfaces used by some of the major players and asked "Can't we all just get along?" This post touches on a topic I've been putting a lot of thought into these days as I plan out the next version of Tags.App, my tag-enabling plugin for Movable Type. I thought I'd highlight some of the observations made in that post and go on to present my own findings.
The post shows examples from Del.icio.us, Flickr, 43 Things and Amazon. Del.icio.us uses single word tags separated with spaces. Flickr follows a similar path, but allows for spaces by optionally wrapping multiple words in quotes. 43 Things uses commas to separate multi-word tags instead of spaces eschewing the need for quotes. Amazon allows spaces and avoids commas and quotes entirely by restricting one tag per text box instead of the one box holds all like the others. Amazon also blow out the interface with an auto suggest interface widget.
The post concludes, "when you've got a new technology, inconsistency is to be expected. With all these different formats still be around a year from now or will a standard emerge?" I wouldn't consider tags a technology, but I do believe this type of interface experimentation is a necessary part of evolving user experience." continued ... (Via Appnel Internet Solutions)
"Over on the Signal vs. Noise weblog a post highlighted the different tag input interfaces used by some of the major players and asked "Can't we all just get along?" This post touches on a topic I've been putting a lot of thought into these days as I plan out the next version of Tags.App, my tag-enabling plugin for Movable Type. I thought I'd highlight some of the observations made in that post and go on to present my own findings.
The post shows examples from Del.icio.us, Flickr, 43 Things and Amazon. Del.icio.us uses single word tags separated with spaces. Flickr follows a similar path, but allows for spaces by optionally wrapping multiple words in quotes. 43 Things uses commas to separate multi-word tags instead of spaces eschewing the need for quotes. Amazon allows spaces and avoids commas and quotes entirely by restricting one tag per text box instead of the one box holds all like the others. Amazon also blow out the interface with an auto suggest interface widget.
The post concludes, "when you've got a new technology, inconsistency is to be expected. With all these different formats still be around a year from now or will a standard emerge?" I wouldn't consider tags a technology, but I do believe this type of interface experimentation is a necessary part of evolving user experience." continued ... (Via Appnel Internet Solutions)
Flickr's use of tagging.
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