objecti-fying usability

I was googling the whole night to level up my knowledge of usability testing so that I am will look like an expert, but after I stumbled upon this site, the hubby said something which made me rethink whatever I have been reading.

https://www.ana-cooljapan.com

That was the website I went to. There were many boxes, but it looked nice. The placement of the boxes are random, opening it on 2 PCs yielded a different look, which also means that every time you visit the site, you see a different baits. It's a bait because they are just different temptations. Anyway, I said, how did they think of something so simple but leaves a very deep impression in the user's mind?

The hubby then said, actually hatepoint also has a similar concept, with their webparts, boxing up contents across the page. I was also recalling the whole of last week trying to understand why my user doesn't want to sign off the requirement specs for a website design. He was saying that the content seems to be very boxed up, a box here, a box there. When I was talking with the vendor, I also found it hard to convince myself that I had to ask them to change the design to something I can't even visualise myself, boxes that don't look squarish.  In the end, it was still very boxy, and rounding the corners of the boxes isn't going to help.

And after looking at this cooljapan site, I objectively define usability has the ability to make boxes not be noticed.

15 months almost

The lack of updates has been partly due to the added workload, added even more after the last update, and also the arrangements that had to be planned for yaya's termination from childcare. After her being sick for the whole of december, my mudder practically called me everyday to "nag" at me to terminate yaya's childcare. I sourced for alternatives, checked for vacancies for infant care around convenient places, and also tried to look for nannies, all didn't work out, and then my mudder said she will look after only mon, wed, fri, 3 days a week, and told me to take leave for the other 2 days, told me to convert to part time, and other stressful things.

In the end, my mudder said that she will look after mon, wed, thu, fri, and the balance tue every week, I had to alternate with hubby to stay at home to look after yaya, then we submitted our one month termination notice, and her last day will be tomorrow. Other arrangements we had to make include planning how to shift all her barang barang in school home tomorrow, how to plan our tuesday for the next few months, plan what time I have to reach home, so that my mudder can go home to cook, and in the past few days looking for a car seat so that my mudder can still drive around if she needs to, instead of being grounded at home with yaya. This arrangement will only be till yaya starts her playgroup childcare on 1 June. That will be another round of planning.

The rest of the time, I was planning for our holiday trip, where to go, when, book air tickets, hotels, calculating expenses, and then leave arrangements. When there is something to look forward to, the shxt at work matter less. Work wise, I will only describe it as chaotic. My supervisor was reluctant to approve my 2 weeks leave, but he still approved it in the end, very reluctantly.

Him: Must you take leave in may?
Me: Yes.
Him: Can you adjust so that it doesn't impact the project schedule?
Me: Ok, then I take leave in apr.
Him: Have you booked?
Me: No. Check with you first mah.
Him: Can it be after june?
Me: And if the project can't end in june?
Him: But if you take leave so near the launch date, you need to be around.
Me: So I go for my holiday earlier loh. I think there is a lower chance that the project can complete in may than after june. (since it hasn't started yet)
Him: It will be better if it's later.
Me: Like when?
Him: Any time after june.
Me: And what if there is another last minute project like the one I only know in end jan and the launch is mid march?

So he conceded to my request.

Randomly, one day while on the way home from work, I thought to myself, if I were to lose my job or decide to quit without a job, I think I may have a higher chance passing off as a freelance copywriter than a freelance programmer. And private tuition seems to be getting more lucrative than ever.

Using ecards system for event registration

My user manager told another user who wants an event registration function that event registration should not go onto her corporate website because a lot of customisation needs to be done, so she is recommending the ecards system to be used. Ecards isn't her system.

Me: how.... Is ecards system suitable?
Her: you just need to tweak the page a little bit to make it become a form instead of the card.
Me: but it doesn't meet the requirement of showing the form to invited ppl.
Her: it does, because you need to log in to the ecards system, choose which card to send, and type in your email address and recipient's. If you use a web form on the corporate website, the email will only go to the admin, I don't want it to come to me, if you use ecards, it will send a copy to the sender.
Me: erm ...
Her: and also not everyone can see the ecard, only those who click the email you sent, so only ppl you want to invite for registration can see, that's why I recommend to use ecards, just need to do a minor tweak.
Me: I disagree, you need to build another application for this because there are none available in our env