I realized something about myself recently. I’m failing my blog readers, and I blame it all on “web thinking.”

I know that when I read the web and when I write for the web, I want things presented as succinctly as possible. Makes sense.  Most web readers are like me–they scan content; they are looking for something particular; and they want to find it quickly and easily in clear language.

It’s only dawned on me in my recent influx of blogging that even my ideas come in short simple one liners. I feel like anything I can add to the conversation about usability, simplicity and social networking all can be boiled down into an axiom of truth.

  • Keep it short and simple.
  • Know your users.
  • Understand their goals.

I realize that there is a lot of explanation that could and probably should go along with all those ideas. But I find myself at a loss to truly explain the whys and hows. Not because I don’t know the methods to the madness, rather because it doesn’t seem to be as significant…and isn’t that all your readers want? The most relevant, significant points? See? “Web think.”

Web think makes me want to provide data, not content. It makes me want to get to the point and move on. It makes me forget about my reader. It makes me fail.

I must remember that MY readers are not the all-inclusive “web-readers.”  And that those generic readers we refer to are often really just browsers and searchers, not people looking to truly consume content. If I would remember that, and think about who is looking at these pages, I’d know that my readers are here for content, for meaning, and they don’t mind a few extra words of explanation.

It’s an easy trap to fall into–planning for the usability of navigation and thinking about who will view the pages in the beginning, but letting the strategy fall by the wayside as day-to-day content creation occurs.

I need to practice what I preach, remember the users! Remember what THEY want, not what I think they want.