Comments on: boo.com back as an online travel website http://dottourism.com/blog/2007/05/02/boocom-back-as-travel-website/ Online and destination marketing for travel and tourism Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:56:26 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: “King of usability” questions effect of Web 2.0 » online and destination marketing for travel and tourism - Dot Tourism blog http://dottourism.com/blog/2007/05/02/boocom-back-as-travel-website/comment-page-1/#comment-733 “King of usability” questions effect of Web 2.0 » online and destination marketing for travel and tourism - Dot Tourism blog Mon, 14 May 2007 10:38:27 +0000 http://dottourism.com/blog/2007/05/02/boocom-back-as-travel-website/#comment-733 [...] I alluded to this in my comment in a recent post regarding the recently launched boo.com and that I felt the implementation of certain AJAX functionality had detracted from the user experience. Mr Nielsen also comments “They should get the basics right first,” and “Sadly most websites do not have those primary things right.” [...] [...] I alluded to this in my comment in a recent post regarding the recently launched boo.com and that I felt the implementation of certain AJAX functionality had detracted from the user experience. Mr Nielsen also comments “They should get the basics right first,” and “Sadly most websites do not have those primary things right.” [...]

]]> By: Joost http://dottourism.com/blog/2007/05/02/boocom-back-as-travel-website/comment-page-1/#comment-658 Joost Fri, 04 May 2007 12:46:42 +0000 http://dottourism.com/blog/2007/05/02/boocom-back-as-travel-website/#comment-658 Hi Dominic, It looks like we're on the same page here :) Thank you for explaining that double row of checkboxes. It was driving me crazy! Hi Dominic,
It looks like we’re on the same page here :)
Thank you for explaining that double row of checkboxes. It was driving me crazy!

]]> By: Dominic http://dottourism.com/blog/2007/05/02/boocom-back-as-travel-website/comment-page-1/#comment-657 Dominic Fri, 04 May 2007 11:49:27 +0000 http://dottourism.com/blog/2007/05/02/boocom-back-as-travel-website/#comment-657 Hi Joost, Thanks for dropping by. I've only had a brief scan around the site. On first impressions the interface design does not work for me, although initially I liked the feel of the design. I find the fixed vertical layout limiting for a content heavy site and find the site hard to use. I'd like to see an improved navigation area, perhaps a clearer/ more informative navigation trail and a conventional navigation menu. There are plenty of online businesses with sites that are not viewed positively from a usability/layout perspective, Myspace comes to mind but it does not stop people using them, however, how much would users benefit with some usability improvements?! Obviously the area of online travel is a bit more crowded but WRI are clearly experienced at running profitable travel sites. They've integrated their 50,000 properties into a well known brand name and injected social community aspects in a web 2.0 and ajax driven interface. Going for the boo.com name could be a wise move, it has certainly gained a lot of PR coverage for their launch. Sure, the name is associated with past failure but seven years is a long time and I dont think it will have a negative effect if users find an engaging, community driven one stop travel site. I agree with your comments about the booking tool. The most important part of the site is very hard to use. It's not particularly obvious but the 1st column gives you the choice to select the star rating for your desired accommodation (1-5) and the 2nd column is a choice of accommodation type. You would then select further criteria related to the general/leisure/business icons - there is no mouseover and therefore it is not apparent that there is any related action involved. On the pop ups there is no option to close the window - if you don't require an option from the check list you have to select, deselect and then click ok. I think this is a good example where AJAX functionality can detract from the user experience. The contingency design i.e. design for then things awry is lacking. Overall I find it confusing to interact with, particularly the search and navigation. Creating a site with this amount of content is no doubt a difficult task but I can't help but find it hard to scan and browse the busy layout. Cheers Dominic Hi Joost,

Thanks for dropping by.

I’ve only had a brief scan around the site. On first impressions the interface design does not work for me, although initially I liked the feel of the design. I find the fixed vertical layout limiting for a content heavy site and find the site hard to use. I’d like to see an improved navigation area, perhaps a clearer/ more informative navigation trail and a conventional navigation menu.

There are plenty of online businesses with sites that are not viewed positively from a usability/layout perspective, Myspace comes to mind but it does not stop people using them, however, how much would users benefit with some usability improvements?!

Obviously the area of online travel is a bit more crowded but WRI are clearly experienced at running profitable

travel sites. They’ve integrated their 50,000 properties into a well known brand name and injected social community aspects in a web 2.0 and ajax driven interface. Going for the boo.com name could be a wise move, it has certainly gained a lot of PR coverage for their launch. Sure, the name is associated with past failure but seven years is a long time and I dont think it will have a negative effect if users find an engaging, community driven one stop travel site.

I agree with your comments about the booking tool. The most important part of the site is very hard to use. It’s not particularly obvious but the 1st column gives you the choice to select the star rating for your desired accommodation (1-5) and the 2nd column is a choice of accommodation type. You would then select further criteria related to the general/leisure/business icons – there is no mouseover and therefore it is not apparent that there is any related action involved. On the pop ups there is no option to close the window – if you don’t require an option from the check list you have to select, deselect and then click ok. I think this is a good example where AJAX functionality can detract from the user experience. The contingency design i.e. design for then things awry is lacking.

Overall I find it confusing to interact with, particularly the search and navigation. Creating a site with this amount of content is no doubt a difficult task but I can’t help but find it hard to scan and browse the busy layout.

Cheers

Dominic

]]> By: Dragonfly Media » Blog Archive » Is boo.com for real? http://dottourism.com/blog/2007/05/02/boocom-back-as-travel-website/comment-page-1/#comment-647 Dragonfly Media » Blog Archive » Is boo.com for real? Thu, 03 May 2007 03:17:30 +0000 http://dottourism.com/blog/2007/05/02/boocom-back-as-travel-website/#comment-647 [...] The only independent review we managed to find on-line about the new Boo was over at dottourism.com, but they did not give an opinion about the website. The other websites we found with information about Boo were the ones that just rehash the press release. [...] [...] The only independent review we managed to find on-line about the new Boo was over at dottourism.com, but they did not give an opinion about the website. The other websites we found with information about Boo were the ones that just rehash the press release. [...]

]]> By: Joost http://dottourism.com/blog/2007/05/02/boocom-back-as-travel-website/comment-page-1/#comment-645 Joost Thu, 03 May 2007 00:57:50 +0000 http://dottourism.com/blog/2007/05/02/boocom-back-as-travel-website/#comment-645 Hi Dominic, I have a question for you: what do you think of Boo? Do you think it will work? Do you feel that it inspires confidence? Does the interface work for you? When searching for independent reviews about boo.com yours was the only one I found today. The other sites that have something on this launch only feature a rehash of the press release and you keep yourself on the safe side of critical. And before you start to wonder; no, I'm not affiliated with Boo. I just want to figure out whether or not we should recommend it to our clients. Hi Dominic,
I have a question for you: what do you think of Boo? Do you think it will work? Do you feel that it inspires confidence? Does the interface work for you?
When searching for independent reviews about boo.com yours was the only one I found today. The other sites that have something on this launch only feature a rehash of the press release and you keep yourself on the safe side of critical.
And before you start to wonder; no, I’m not affiliated with Boo. I just want to figure out whether or not we should recommend it to our clients.

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