In this ever evolving society we pride ourselves in always finding the next best thing - and for most of us being the first to find it usually warrants an extra feather in the cap. I admit that I'm the first to buy the latest iPhone just to discard it and shell out another $600 a year later to be one of the hip kids rocking the 2 measly updates. I value innovation and change. So, when Facebook decides to slap us around a bit and change up their UI design (every few months) why do I throw tantrums and make grand threats of boycotting a free product?! Don't judge me. You do it too. Why am I so quick to accept and purchase new features yet reject those that are handed to me on a silver platter? I believe the answer lies in the psychology of free.
Since it's initial launch in February 2004 Facebook has undergone more than 4 significant face lifts, 3 reconstructive surgeries, a name change, and at least one roll-back to a previous layout (see screenshots). That doesn't even take into consideration the policy and privacy changes that have been the cause of many a furrowed brow in the last couple of years. In an attempt to justify my negative reactions to arbitrary change in a public service I began by jotting down a short list of my disapprovals and observations:
- An app's users are what ultimately make the app great. If people become disenchanted and frustrated to the point of boycotting it then it becomes worthless. After all, each of us (hopefully) lived fruitful and fulfilled lives before Facebook and would continue to do so in the event of it's demise.
- If you're going to offer a free public service then public opinion matters. Once you've created a platform that the general public has come to rely on you then have a social (excuse the pun) responsibility to maintain the norm. Just imagine the catastrophic effects that changing the colors or order of stoplights would have on daily life!
- Focus and test groups exist for a reason. Why experiment on the end-user?
- If you already have over 500 million active users what really needs fixing (this is a bit tongue-in-cheek, and I write it reluctantly, as I actually believe that through proper testing and analytics you can always improve usability)?
When a service is offered for free we as consumers feel a certain sense of entitlement. Unlike a paid product which takes some mental commitment before purchasing, a free service comes with no strings attached (arguably) and therefore sucks me in without a fight. Once it has me I become dependent, and once dependent I fight change. Advancements in technology and design are very much smiled upon in the circles that I run and it is generally agreed upon that they are, in fact, required for the continued success of applications, companies, and even society. But what if I didn't ask for it? Shouldn't I, the user, have a say? Maybe not. And thus begs the question: Are free apps really free?
I actually quite like the recent changes rolled out by Mr. Zuckerberg et al. but that's not to say that it wasn't at first met with some resistance on my part. So here I find myself at an impasse. While I feel there are strong cases to be made for UI stability and consistency I have to accept the fact that I am still just a technology tick benefiting from the blood of others' generous offerings. So I, like everyone else, will continue using Facebook, Google, and every other free application offered out there and in the spirit of a new year I resolve to be grateful for the gifts that I have been given...and I pledge to learn from what I consider to be others' mistakes for that fateful day when I too release a free app for the world to consume and harshly critique.
Facebook screenshots courtesy of Christian Happel http://www.slideshare.net/happel
@thisholidayjoe
Joe Freeman is the Technology Director at elevator. Though his thoughts bounce here and there and everywhere (like a gummi bear) they usually land in The Forest of Web Standards and Accessibility.
