As a practicing Cognitive Scientists (one whom discovers and applies), it is important for me to see and use proven techniques of this trade. We want the science to pay off for humanity.
For example, PFUI (Person First User Interfaces) is a new concept that has emerged using CogSci. See above. It's jumping off point is the very fine work of Luke Wroblewski. He has an insightful piece at:
Where Luke describes a GUI of physical place, the Person First GUI massages the mind. There is a big difference in these two approaches.
IPO vs. M2U
IPO is a computer term. It stands for input-process-output. M2U is a CogSci developed term. It means me-to-you. The first pushes stuff at me: processes me. The second draws me in: attracts me. One sells and the other serves. That intentional difference will make all the difference, in the success of any Website.
An Example
Here is a simple example. Let's say you go to a new Website. You go their because you are looking for something specific. Most people do not go from one Website to another without a specific need in mind.
The design of any Website should start with what your visitors may have in their mind. Right? This is a CogSci rule. The form of anything should be based on the desired affection: My Mind. Move the minds to move the money. Move Minds (MM): do that if you want to make money.
How many do? How many Website designers think about me, to clearly know what's in my mind? Sorry to say, they are thinking primarily about them, not me. Graphically it looks good. The functionality is poor, in relation to my ideological needs. This is an intentional mistake.
How do we know this is true? Go to the typical Website and what do you see: a lot of GUI fluff and not much useful stuff. Now think: what would I like this Website to be doing? See that difference. It is material.
Correcting the Problem
If you know how the mind works, selecting and processing symbols, then you can clearly think about their thinking. That means you can develop Websites that better anticipate and serve my ideological needs. Serve me to sell me. This method is time tested.
If you do not know how my mind works, or do not care to find out, then continue to push your GUI at me. It might win you some Ad Agency Website design awards. Good for you. It will also push me (the prospect and customer) away. That is bad.
In the Internet Age, pushing people is bad business. You want to properly affect before the effect.
We call this ACE (Affect Causes Effect). It was developed, as a practical business tool, in CogSci.
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