Twitter – A Rich User Interface in 140 Characters or Less
The web has certainly come a long way since the days of static content. Previously we used to have to click and wait, wait, then wait some more for another full page of information to appear. Using technologies like AJAX we now have the capability to produce a more dynamic and rich user experience.
This is an example another of Tim O’Reilly’s core Web 2.0 patterns: ‘Rich User Experiences‘. This pattern describes how a combination of modern web technologies are all helping to make web sites more like desktop applications.
One such site that is a great example of a rich user experience is Twitter, which has recently undergone a major redesign.
The core functionality of Twitter is simple. Users send a brief message of up to 140 characters and other users can then read these ‘tweets’. They are encouraged to reply and forward (or ‘re-tweet’) these tweets. 140 character tweets can contain a lot more information than pure text, though, and the new Twitter interface helps to make better use of this information.
Selecting a tweet will bring out an array of associated data, including:
- Some brief information about the originator
- A preview of any pictures or videos that were referenced (from supported sources)
- More information about other people mentioned in the tweet
- Other tweets on the same subject, or using the same hashtag
The nature of this rich interface means that you can get to all of this information without having to reload the whole page, or even navigate away from the Twitter homepage.
Of course, as with all of Tim O’Reilly’s core web 2.0 patterns, there is some overlap here. The redesign has been developed using the Collective Intelligence of the Twitter community, where people’s usage patterns have been examined and used to help with the redesign.
With all advances in technology, though, there are potential issues. There is always the risk that these ‘improvements’ to the interface will only confuse and alienate users who were familiar with the previous interface. There is also a chance that these changes will impact on system performance for the user, resulting in a poorer experience overall.
What do you think? Has Twitter made it’s interface richer and more intuitive, or should it have kept with it’s simpler design?
References
- Wikipedia – AJAX (Programming)
- Wikipedia – Tag (metadata)
- Tim O’Reilly (09/30/2005) – What Is Web 2.0 – Design Patterns and Business Models for the Next Generation of Software
- YouTube (18/02/2011) – Follow Your Interests. Discover Your World. Twitter.
Dan Beckitt 
Twitter is an unusual case for me, with many users choosing to use one of the desktop apps (tweetdeck or Twitters own app), do you think this is a sign that users dont like using there browser based app or that the standalone apps just offer a greater level of features?
April 1, 2011 at 11:39 am
I tend to think of the desktop apps as more of a tool for ‘power users’. As a relatively infrequent Twitter-er myself, I find that the native interface has all the features I need.
I do, however, use a Twitter app on my Android phone: Plume.
April 4, 2011 at 7:10 pm
Twitter is interesting, it blows my mind that such a simpile (looking) interface can do so many things.
April 1, 2011 at 12:24 pm
Yes. The simplicity of the interface is what appeals to me. A lot of the functionality only becomes apparent when you need to use it.
April 4, 2011 at 7:10 pm
i know exactly what you mean, its such a cleverly built application and gives the user what they want whether that is a ‘power user’ like dan said or just a browser. One thing is for sure its addictive and part of that is how usable the interface is.
April 4, 2011 at 8:30 pm
Nice read!
I find that even with the extra additions to the interface over time, I still find the basic process of posting a tweet to be essentially unchanged, and just as easy to use as it always was. Some of the newer elements may have increased the complexity of the interface, but I haven’t found these to have affected the usability – at least for me – of the site. In fact, at a recent conference I found the ability to click on a user and be able to view their mini-profile and tweets while I was still tweeting to be quite useful!
In response to howedan’s comment, whether I use the browser interface or a desktop app depends on the situation. I have my own Twitter account, as well as tweeting as part of a corporate (non-personal, where multiple team members have access to tweet) Twitter account. If I’m just being ‘me’, then the browser is usually enough, however if I’m doing the corporate one as well, I find that using an app (I use TweetDeck currently, but have been considering moving to Seesmic as an all-in-one social media management tool) helps me to coordinate between multiple Twitter accounts more efficiently.
April 1, 2011 at 2:15 pm
Thanks for the feedback.
I think this fits into what I posted earlier on howedan’s comment, where the web interface is well suited to a more casual user.
April 4, 2011 at 7:14 pm
Hi Dan,
The evolution of Twitter and their release of New Twitter is a tribute to the extensibility of all of the web’s major sites and services. The fact that New Twitter can include previous tweets, maps, links to photos and videos in the pop-out sidebar for a single tweet is a great example of combining interactive web services in one rich app. Because Twitter has engineered itself to be a single point of news and information, and has develop a highly interactive experience on their site, people naturally want more information made available. Looking back to Data is the Next Intel Inside pattern, Twitter can enhance their service by linking to data provided by Google, TwitPic and so on. This pattern and the Rich User Experience pattern are clearly an empowering part of the immersive Twitter experience.
What other services do you think Twitter will integrate in the future to increase interactivity and immersion?
April 2, 2011 at 10:41 am
Hi Trent,
I guess the sky is really the limit. There is potential for Twitter to integrate with any number of services. With this, though, there is always the risk that they start to lose their identity as a micro-blogging application. It’s a matter of finding the balance between choosing services to enhance their own core service, without becoming overcome by using too many services.
April 4, 2011 at 7:25 pm
Thank Dan. The most wonderful characteristic about Twitter is not long to read if we compare it with facebook. Merely 140 letters may take less than one min to be read.
April 4, 2011 at 7:50 pm
My only grip with twitter is the kind of information that people post on twitter. I couldn’t care less sometimes.
But then again, I guess that is the point.
April 4, 2011 at 8:59 pm
Do you think that one day instead of sending SMS we will just send each other tweets? Just a mere curiousity. As I haven’t used Twitter but I liked how your article has represented the application I am interested to know whether you like Twitter’s new look or if it was easier with a more simplistic style?
April 6, 2011 at 9:25 pm
Thanks Dan! This article succinctly educates me as a new “tweeter-er” like you. But in your own opinion, in what way does Twitter stand out over Facebook?
April 7, 2011 at 2:01 am
This article succinctly educates me as a new “tweeter-er” like you,Dan. But in your own opinion, in what way does Twitter stand out over Facebook?
April 7, 2011 at 2:03 am
I must say im not a big fan of twitter, but that could just be due to the fact that i have no idea what im doing. tho it does seem like it could be handy in certain situations.
it seems like a great tool to get a short message out to lots of people in a quick amount of time.
April 7, 2011 at 10:58 pm