Internet users are confused by the jargon surrounding them. Research from Nielsen/NetRatings shows that people are buying new technology and are using it, but have significant misunderstandings because they are faced with so much jargon and “geekspeak”. According to the research Internet users have little idea what “podcast” means and have almost no notion of a “wiki”. Three out of four people have no idea of what VOD means – it’s Video On Demand. Nor do they know what PVR software is for – it’s Personal Video Recorder. Considering the research was done amongst people already using modern technology, there must be even more confusion amongst the general population. Technology companies must do more to try to connect with their users. Talking to them, asking them and doing some proper market research would be a start. At the moment, many technology companies appear to restrict their research and analysis to people who are techno-savvy. Talking to some real people would be a good start.
Online retailers don’t seem to learn about usability
Every year there are studies of leading web sites to see how close they are getting to providing a good experience for their users. Every year, major businesses and well known brands are criticised in
