Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
different spaces to promote your application and/or make it shine; however, there is a
fine line that must be walked.
Guidance on Using Photos in Web Apps
Upon finding the services we've discussed in the preceding sections, it may be very
tempting to jump in and find a photo for each and every part of your application. For
example, you might have large navigation buttons on your app's main screen, and
wouldn't those large squares look great with photos in them, versus words or simple
icons? Perhaps… However, we'd suggest you first consider the following:
How much load time am I adding with each photo?
Recall that when
we are testing, our application normally lives on our computer. This leaves
the argument of load times largely moot—we simply don't know how our
app might load given certain circumstances. With that in mind, pretty
photos can sometimes cause an app to load sluggishly. We'd suggest
using photos of appropriate size (e.g., resize them if necessary; do not
simply specify a height and width that will make them render smaller but
not actually be smaller in file size—less than 10 kilobytes if possible), and
testing both photo and non-photo versions of pages under a variety of
conditions (e.g., served from a production web server, to a device on both
WiFi and a cellular data connection).
Do my images distract my user?
Yes, while a picture is worth 1000
words, some pictures are worth much more in the debate they cause
among users. A photograph of a STOP sign may be easy to interpret to
the user in some circumstances, but be confusing in others (e.g., in a
game—does the STOP sign mean end of round? Exit the game? Stop my
little man from walking?). Images should only help the user find things
more quickly, not confuse the user by being distracting, confusing, or of
poor quality.
Will using an image invoke a user stereotype?
Images can be powerful,
but in some cases they can be associated with both traditional
stereotypes we're well aware of, and some you might not consider. For
example, using the tried-and-true “man with a business suit” and “woman
using a laptop” might seem appropriate for your app; however, users
generally will have seen these stock images before and may assume your
web app will be just as uninspired as others who have used the same
images. This is why many sites now tend toward a minimalist design
trend—it's less predictable than “hard working executive” or “soccer
mom.”
Assuming you've thought through the issues discussed in the preceding list, using
photos can be a wonderful way to reinforce your application's appeal. Just be mindful of
your use! Now we'll look at a more subtle image manipulation: using custom fonts in our
web app.
