First Screen

I was just testing a new iMarc application called Dragonfly. One goal for Dragonfly is to let clients easily enter issues they find with their websites. Before launching a new site iMarc and the client test it and track issues, bugs, and enhancement requests.

I put myself in the client's shoes... The site is ready for testing. Nick just sent me an email, telling me to create a Dragonfly account, log in, and enter bugs.

Like most tools we develop, empty lists in Dragonfly default to "No [things] available. Add one now". For example, if you haven't entered any issues, you'd see a message "No issues available – enter one now"

As a new user on a new application, this would confuse me. "Should there be issues? Is it a problem that there aren't any? What if I don't enter one now?"

I entered an issue about this issue:
The first time you log in, there should be more links and descriptive text

At a recent developer meeting we talked about sprinkling administrative forms with subtle coaching text.

Another initiative for 2008 is to concentrate on the first screen that a brand new user sees.

"Just because you’ve invited someone over to your house/app, doesn’t mean your hosting duties are over. You still need to welcome your guests, show them around, offer some introductions, and make sure they get into the flow."
from http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/666