As you might expect, the design team at VMware was pretty excited about the release of Apple's new iPhone product. As such, several of us stood in line on launch day to purchase the device. Other members of the team, however, decided to wait a bit longer, to scrutinize the UI design a bit closer, and to make a more informed decision about purchasing the iPhone.
Once the devices were in hand everyone was focused on which way the phone could be rotated and how the user interface responds or on how well the iPhone discovers WiFi networks and connects to them, for example. One item none of us initially considered was the UI design of Apple's web site supporting the iPhone launch.
As it turns out, Apple's web site violates a very basic design guidline in practice today.
Checking Availability
Apple provides a unique product locator tool for the iPhone which helps consumers determine at what retail locations the product should be available the next day.
Here is an image I clipped directly from http://www.apple.com/retail/iphone/ showing the availability of iPhones at retail locations in California for tomorrow, July 4th, 2007.
"Wow!", you say, "That's amazing. You mean to tell me that people can figure out quickly and easily from Apple's own web site the exact retail locations which will be selling iPhones tomorrow?"
I'd have to answer, "Well, most people, but not all!"
At VMware, more than one member of the design team has a form of color-blindness. According to most statistics, color blindness is a problem for 8% to 12% of males of European origin and about half a percent of females. For these people, the red and green balls in the image above appear as exactly the same color rendering them useless.
Here is that same image updated to illustrate the lack of color difference for users with dichromacy.
One of the most basic considerations for designers working on desktop applications, web sites, and mobile devices is (or should be) the less-abled user. Disabilities in vision, hearing, motor function, and cognition are fairly well understood in most design circles these days.
Users Shout Out
Before posting this entry I decided to check out what users are saying. Here is a small sample of what I found using Google search:
I hate it when people use red and green to distinguish something. Those of us who are colorblind are left to wonder if our local stores have them or not (or we have to view the src of the page). Bad UI design, Apple!
Arrrrggghhh!!! Why do people keep using small dots of red and green, leaving those of us who are color blind to wail in frustration? I have NO idea what color these dots are. Lesson to web designers: try using a red X and a green CHECK. That way it works for everyone.
I don't know about the rest of you normal-eyed folks, but I can't tell the difference between those dots. What the hell, Apple? And I'm not that color blind. Take off the border and the highlight thing, and I've got about 4 pixels of color for my color-impaired eyes to work with. Shouldn't Apple know better than this?
As you can see, end users are highly aware of this issue and are requesting a resolution.
Apple's Own Guidelines
A quick search for "color blind" on Apple.com returns links to several documents which discuss this very issue in detail. In fact, Apple publishes
guidelines for developers which specifically state, "All though color can greatly enhance a user interface, make sure it is no the only source of information. A color blind user may not be able to distinguish between two objects that differ only in color."
Given that Apple is clearly aware of this guideline one has to wonder how this issue slipped past the quality assurance and web marketing teams. My guess is that while no matter how hard one works, no one is perfect.
Strive To Improve
Pointing out the mistakes of others doing design is not hard. Just take a quick look around and you can find many things which need better design or that can be improved with a simple change. The reason for posting this entry is simply to generate awareness and to ask that, as designers, we always strive to improve.
The design team at Apple is likely working hard already to resolve this issue for their users. I look forward to an improved user experience even though I'm not personally impacted by this design decision.
