Nielsen for 2004 - At Least We'll Know Who Won This Time

Jakob Nielsen for President, 2004

Summary:
The election of 2000 was decided not on questions of policy or character, but usability, proving that I was right all along about the evils of unfamiliar and overelaborate user interfaces. Oh yes. In this matter, I have concluded that it is now insufficient simply to browbeat everyone into buying the book, and so will offer my services to a needy nation (at a substantial discount on my usual consultancy rates) in 2004.

The recent controversy over the design of ballot papers in Palm Beach county, Florida, demonstrates the importance of clear and consistent design principles, supported by a prolonged period of quality assurance testing, and a strong executive led by a infinitely wise "philosopher king"-type figure.

Before

As we can see from this illustration, our weak democratic system encourages poor design. Note the catastrophic failure to obey my simple usability rules.

Arrows are insufficiently informative, and should be replaced with a short textual description.
An Electoral College of 538 (0.000002152% of the total user base) leads to insufficient site-level testing of the democratic process. It should be at least 700.
The list of candidates consists entirely of average people who have not been privy to my unique plans for educational self-actualization.
Punch holes cause confusion. They should be blue.
Accusations by both sides of ballot-stuffing are unseemly. All groups would be better served by micropayment bribery systems.

Conclusions

With the introduction of an overly complex presidential election system, the framers of the Constitution made a serious error. Firstly, the should have used tables. Secondly, they should have hired me, and together we would have designed a much easier balloting procedure that would last for a thousand years.

After

After a subtle redesign, the new ballot form becomes much simpler and easier to use.

Official Ballot, General Election, Palm Beach County, Florida, November 6, 2004

Read the following list carefully, and make your choice by clicking on the radio button next to your candidate.

DO NOT SCROLL.

Democratic Party Al Gore
Joe Lieberman

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Republican Party George W. Bush
Dick Cheney

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Wavy Flag Promo Banner For Proud Future
President - Jakob Nielsen!
Usability Party Jakob Nielsen
Don Norman

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Libertarian Party Harry Browne
Art Olivier

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Green Party Ralph Nader
Winona LaDuke

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Socialist Workers Party James Harris
Margaret Trowe

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Natural Law Party John Hagelin
Nat Goldhaber

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Reform Party Pat Buchanan
Ezola Foster

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Write-In Candidate

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Predictions

I expect that within four years my ideas will be widely accepted, and the American people will be fully prepared to vote me as permanent God-Emperor of USAbility. Failure to obey this prediction will result in more catastrophic deaths due to poor interface design.

You have been warned.

Jakob Nielsen in 2004: At Least We'll Know Who Won This Time

Complete list of other Alertbox columns

Democratic Party	Al Gore Joe Lieberman
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Republican Party	George W. Bush Dick Cheney
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Usability Party	Jakob Nielsen Don Norman
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Libertarian Party	Harry Browne Art Olivier
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Green Party	Ralph Nader Winona LaDuke
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Socialist Workers Party	James Harris Margaret Trowe
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Natural Law Party	John Hagelin Nat Goldhaber
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Reform Party	Pat Buchanan Ezola Foster
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Write-In Candidate
To vote for a write-in candidate, type the name of the candidate into this text box: