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Re: Open in new window

for

From: Cliff Tyllick
Date: Apr 15, 2010 12:54PM

Nancy, I guess you are seeing from a wide variety of users -- blind, deaf-blind, and free of any such disability -- that they personally prefer having control over whether a new window or tab opens on any given click. I can add (unpublished) experimental evidence to that.

Last year, I was conducting a usability study on a new online application that drew data from a number of different databases. Many of the databases had been completely merged with a central search application, such that all data in the database was available to that application. Other databases were essentially standalone -- that is, they provided a limited set of information to the new, central application, but to get more information from that database you had to leave the new search application and go to an older one specific to that database. So there was a profound change in the look, feel, and function of the interaction whenever that happened.

The programmers decided that it would be nice to open a new tab whenever such a transition occurred. That way, they surmised, the user could easily return to the original application whenever they were done with the unmerged database -- they just had to close the new tab. So they were adamant that we keep this feature.

Well, when we finished the usability tests, they were shocked. What they had thought was a favor turned out to be a source of great irritation. Of over 30 participants, only one was completely unfazed by the opening of a new tab. One other recovered within about 10 seconds. And the people most puzzled by the opening of the new tab those who had the most experience with the Web. They had already opened many other tabs themselves -- for example, to go to their own websites to find real data to use in testing our new application -- but never expected a new tab to open when they didn't ask for it. At least one of them, on finally realizing what had happened, closed all but one tab -- including the one he had intended to keep open. He wasn't real happy.

So this "feature" was removed, and our testing supports the anecdotal information: You are not the Twilight Zone; do not assume control. Let the user decide how their interface will work.

Cliff

Cliff Tyllick
Usability specialist and Web development coordinator
Agency Communications Division
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
512-239-4516
<EMAIL REMOVED>