In one word: no. The new design does not clean up clutter, but only adds to it by condensing categories that don't belong together (i.e. events and birthdays) and no one I have spoken with enjoys having to click through several pages to see the contents of a user's profiles. Despite the fact that 80% of Facebook users haven't switched over to the new design and prefer to use the old one is a testament that FB developers got this one wrong (http://valleywag.com/5041300/80-percent-of-facebook-users-hate-the-sites...). Yet, FB PR people prefer to spin it that 20% has approved and switched over. If they trashed the whole redesign and maintained the old one, it wouldn't be considered a loss or a failure, but a sign that the company is receptive to the reactions of its customers.
I can now more easily check on status updates vs. posted items which reduces the amount of time I waste searching for interesting content from my connections.
I looked at the new facebook once...it was extremely cluttered. I switched back to the old facebook and havent given the new one a second thought till this article.
I think the new design works really well, actually. Though I'm apparently in the minority. Like David, I like that "Top Stories" shows up first and is customizable with the type of information (and about whom) I'd like shared in that space. I think the tabbed layout makes sense, as most users I know don't tend to update their basic information on a regular basis. All their activity (or that which they've given permission to share) is really nicely laid out on the default first "wall" tab.
From a monetization standpoint, the tabs make sense because it creates opportunities for more ad impressions... I'm all for FB trying to earn a little dough. They provide a free service to the public, and need to make ends meet somehow.
I do agree that they probably should have tested the new design a little more widely before rolling it out last month, but at the end of the day, they're competing with MySpace, which rolled out a new layout in June. They couldn't stay so far behind for long.
Has anyone ever thought about how this continues a long trend of Facebook introducing new features to howls of discontent from users, and then later readjusting significantly?
Lets talk again when their privacy settings work, when I can set my Notes NOT to show up in my Wall, and so on. Until then, it's a baloney site made popular by people who seem to have pretty low requirements to throw pokes at each other.
9 Total
August 26, 2008 at 9:47am by Rachel King
In one word: no. The new design does not clean up clutter, but only adds to it by condensing categories that don't belong together (i.e. events and birthdays) and no one I have spoken with enjoys having to click through several pages to see the contents of a user's profiles. Despite the fact that 80% of Facebook users haven't switched over to the new design and prefer to use the old one is a testament that FB developers got this one wrong (http://valleywag.com/5041300/80-percent-of-facebook-users-hate-the-sites...). Yet, FB PR people prefer to spin it that 20% has approved and switched over. If they trashed the whole redesign and maintained the old one, it wouldn't be considered a loss or a failure, but a sign that the company is receptive to the reactions of its customers.
August 26, 2008 at 10:19am by David Mullings
For me, yes.
I can now more easily check on status updates vs. posted items which reduces the amount of time I waste searching for interesting content from my connections.
August 26, 2008 at 10:30am by Amod Munga
I'm enjoying the new layout. But I really have no preference. These things are changeable anyway.
August 26, 2008 at 12:15pm by Bernat Guitart
NO!
August 26, 2008 at 4:15pm by Paul Samaha
Nothing about facebook works.
August 26, 2008 at 4:41pm by Brandon Malone
I looked at the new facebook once...it was extremely cluttered. I switched back to the old facebook and havent given the new one a second thought till this article.
August 27, 2008 at 9:41am by Joshua Kutticherry
I think the new design works really well, actually. Though I'm apparently in the minority. Like David, I like that "Top Stories" shows up first and is customizable with the type of information (and about whom) I'd like shared in that space. I think the tabbed layout makes sense, as most users I know don't tend to update their basic information on a regular basis. All their activity (or that which they've given permission to share) is really nicely laid out on the default first "wall" tab.
From a monetization standpoint, the tabs make sense because it creates opportunities for more ad impressions... I'm all for FB trying to earn a little dough. They provide a free service to the public, and need to make ends meet somehow.
I do agree that they probably should have tested the new design a little more widely before rolling it out last month, but at the end of the day, they're competing with MySpace, which rolled out a new layout in June. They couldn't stay so far behind for long.
August 27, 2008 at 2:00pm by Laura Neidert
Has anyone ever thought about how this continues a long trend of Facebook introducing new features to howls of discontent from users, and then later readjusting significantly?
August 27, 2008 at 2:08pm by Shashank Tripathi
Lets talk again when their privacy settings work, when I can set my Notes NOT to show up in my Wall, and so on. Until then, it's a baloney site made popular by people who seem to have pretty low requirements to throw pokes at each other.