Blog 6 - Stephen Miller

I’m going to return to my personal favorite, www.bikely.com. Bikely is designed so that even a user who has never interacted with the site and has only cursory knowledge of digital map applications can make use of the search function and the route builder. Both features expertly utilize good defaults, instructive hints, and tips to ease the process. No part of the process is bogged down and none of the helpers obstruct the use of the application. A box in the upper left hand corner of the screen accents the route builder application – this contains the prompts for the user’s interaction. They direct the user towards what would be the most effective next step; however, if the user is experienced, the box is easily ignored and is relegated to its dual role as a toolbox. Each step also contains instructive hints that are quite helpful. For instance, the box where the user inputs the city where the route runs is prefaced by “Find a city:” followed by the text box.