Once it goes pop-up
Oct 10 2007
What’s more annoying than pop ups…the ever present intrusion to content? Yes, Orbitz, your games are fun and excluded from this conversation, but to the rest of you, go away.
So what can be taken away from these daily digital intrusions? How about some design mishaps. Surely once a design technique has worked its way into a pop up, it must be time to move on. Remember that jittery windows pop up. God that pissed me off.
Here’s a look at my most recent pop up encounter. Web 2.0 (shiverrrrr) in a nut shell. I’ve circled all the over used elements, but in case it’s not clear, here are the bullets:
• reflected graphic
• Beta button
• swirly stuff
• wings
• gradation
• repeated graphic background
• overly large call to action fake gloss jelly rounded corner button thing
Now, some of these elements work by themselves (or maybe I’ve just been told that by clients so many times that I believe it) but all together… look out! I use all these elements all the time, but my point is, whenever design starts to look like pop ups, maybe it’s time to take a deep breath, and hit the drawing board.





I am excited to join a great panel for an upcoming Software Association of Oregon event called 



October 15th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
This sure sheds the light on why you made me take that badge off my emaill comp today :)
October 18th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
I’m just thankful they didn’t use “Myspace” glitter elements. Or animated gifs…