Website Response Times

Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox for June 21 is now online at:
  > http://www.useit.com/alertbox/response-times.html

Summary:
Slow page rendering today is typically caused by server delays or overly
fancy page widgets, not by big images. Users still hate slow sites and
don't hesitate telling us.

----------------------------------

Usability Week 2010 conference

  * Toronto, Canada: August 9-14
  * San Francisco, CA: October 3-8
  * Copenhagen, Denmark: October 18-22
  * Edinburgh, Scotland: October 25-29

Full program:
  > http://www.nngroup.com/events

----------------------------------

FALL CONFERENCE PROGRAM

I am pleased to announce our conference program for the fall, which
includes a return trip to my hometown of Copenhagen, as well as events in
perennial favorites San Francisco and Edinburgh.

In Edinburgh, our conference hotel as a wonderful view of the castle; the
Copenhagen hotel has views of the Tivoli Gardens; and the San Francisco
hotel is on top of Nob Hill, which is good for both the view from your
room and for you health as you hike up the steep hill for the seemingly
few blocks after a good Chinatown dinner.

All 3 events should be exciting.

   > http://www.nngroup.com/events/san_francisco/agenda.html
   > http://www.nngroup.com/events/copenhagen/agenda.html
   > http://www.nngroup.com/events/edinburgh/agenda.html

----------------------------------

NEW SEMINARS

With the new conferences, we're launching 2 new seminars, for which we're
currently doing the research:

   a) Credibility and Persuasive Web Design
      http://www.nngroup.com/events/tutorials/credibility.html

   b) Selling Usability to Bosses and Colleagues
      http://www.nngroup.com/events/tutorials/selling_usability.html

Both are about the topic of being "convincing" and credible, but in very
different contexts: external convincing (of your customers), vs internal
convincing (management and your team).

Both important topics, but I am particularly looking forward to the
seminar on how to convince management and reluctant colleagues about
usability findings. *You* know how to make your site better; now get the
necessary backing. At our previous conferences, people have frequently
asked how to do this. Now we'll give you the answer. (See, I do read the
feedback forms.)

----------------------------------

iPHONE 4 PIXEL DENSITY

The new iPhone has a 326 dpi display. This will allow for much crisper
text (and somewhat better-looking photos and videos). Crisper text again
means higher reading speed, which should expand the uses of mobile
devices.

Toshiba and Sony/Ericsson also have phones with high-density screens.
(See http://tbray.org/ongoing/When/201x/2010/06/07/DPI)

While not the first crisp screen on the market, the iPhone 4 is a
higher-profile indicator that vendors might finally start to emphasize
display quality. While welcome in mobile, higher-quality screens are even
more important on the desktop where we stare at the thing all day.

----------------------------------

INTRANETS NEEDED

We're looking for organizations to participate in our Intranet Design
Annual Competition and our Intranet Research Study. You can submit your
company's intranet for either or both of these. Please follow the
submission guidelines for each.

** Design Annual

We're looking for the world's 10 best intranets. Winners will be featured
in an in-depth case study in NN/g's Intranet Design Annual 2011

Deadline: July 1, 2010 (NEXT THURSDAY)

  > http://www.nngroup.com/reports/intranet/2011

** Research Study: Free intranet usability test

Experts from NN/g will conduct a usability test of your intranet at your
offices and give you the results in a post-test meeting with your team,
for no fee.  We will use your screenshots and stories to update our report
series and our seminars.
	
Deadline: August 13, 2010

  > http://www.nngroup.com/reports/intranet/freetest