Facebook - Under the knife...again

Another month, another user interface change to Facebook...

Logging on to my social comfort pillow, I am hit with a splash page of another redesign:

http://www.facebook.com/sitetour/homepage.php

Now I am all for optimising the designs of websites and applications for users but there were a few questions that popped into this inquisitive noggin when logging on:

• Considering the backlash by users for most Facebook redesigns, where do they get their usability testing feedback from?
• Did they ask real Facebook users to test the new design? If so who?
• Why don't they give us a heads-up that they are redesigning Facebook instead of just launching?
• For the users who aren't fans of the redesigns, why not let us know how you discovered the problems in the first place (for 90% of users, they'll get used to an average design on a loved website cause 'its easier')

and the big question...

• Since Facebook is free to users, should they just be able to change what they want when they want?

In previous experience, communicating a redesign is key and often more important than the redesign itself. If you have an avid user base of a web application or simply a high traffic website, your users are often habitual; they check in everyday to see what's new, they use widgets and applications everyday. 

What's the theme here?.. these users know where to find the content and they know where to locate the application they want to use because they usually only spend 5 minutes at these sites to 'check-in.' They don't want to spend 2 of those 5 minutes learning a new design, unless it allows them to do twice as much in those 5 minutes next time they come back.

Changing websites/applications requires communication. If you let users know that you are redesigning, let them see screen shots of the new design and if it is CSS based, why not offer a trial view?

It is especially important that if you are redesigning a website/app that either stores private information or is a habitual website that users visit everyday, you need to let users know well in advance. In a world where users need to be aware of phishing and compromised websites, users shouldn't have to go out of their way to ensure the site they are using is legitimate, just because a redesign was launched without communication.

I was involved in a redesign of a customer facing application a few years ago and we gave just over 2 months notice, which I thought was enough. We did screenshots, we did FAQs and we briefed our support staff. We thought we had done everything...

Catch is, we had a high subset of users who ignored or just simply didn't see all that hard work I had poured into a pre-launch communication and simply went..'What the **** happened to the website?' It can be very frustrating to you and other people that had practiced what they preached in terms of letting users know after spending months redesigning the site. 

When entering a website / application redesign:

• Incorporate a communications plan early into the project, figure out who needs to know
• Let customers know about the redesign as early as you can (ensuring your design is close to or fully signed off, don't tell the world about a design that gets carved up in usability testing)
• When communicating the change, say why you are redesigning, you have the feedback, you should have the usability testing to backup the feedback
• Give them a chance to view the redesign or even better, play with the design before launch
• Give them an approximate date of launch
• Give them a chance to provide feedback, even though may not have the time or resource to take it on board straight away. From experience, there are many Joes on the street that are willing to help you out in improving your website and hey, it's free...