Satisficing and the Web
Satisficing is a word made from the words satisfying and suffice. It is a verb meaning to choose something that is satisfactory but not the ideal. The term was first coined by Herbert Simon in the mid 1950’s. Simon wrote that humans find it very hard to make the ideal decision because of our “limited cognitive abilities” i.e. we have small brains and there are too many variables for our minds to evaluate to choose the optimal alternative. As a result we satisfice and pick the best of the information that we can process.
The traditional view was that the human mind was the limitation in information processing and hence we spent billions on machines from the analytical engine to the Blue Gene super computer to overcome this limitation. However while humans are poor at interpreting raw data compared to computers we excel at interpreting rich information media such as music, video and human interaction. Computers are pathetic at reading body language or even analysing film. A human can determine the difference between shadows and shapes and understand a moving picture. Computers can’t - that’s why humans still have to tag all the videos on Youtube.
In terms of web design we have to satisfice often. We must please our customer first and deliver a product that suits their audience’s needs. But what is unusual in our profession is that we must satisfice for the computers, namely the Googlebot that decides that fate of so many companies. While we wouldlike to design just for people, if people search for products with Google, then it is Google you must please, not the customer. I would love to go animating to my hearts content and create sites that are full of Flash but I want my customers to get a website that delivers for their business needs. I also don’t want to discriminate against visually impaired people who have to use computers to assist them in comprehending pages, so I make my pages primarily by using HTML and images with text alternatives.
Until the day comes that computers understand real world objects, vector planes and moving images, text shall remain the king. “Web designers” who make heavily animated websites for their own ego instead of what is the best for their customer should ask themselves “am I in the right profession?”. Website Design is about function ahead of form, simplicity ahead of complexity and craft ahead of art. It is about leaving your ego at the door and being creative within a set of clear boundaries. It is satisficing.
Posted 06.11.07