The Temptation of Templates

I love templates. At their best, they add structure and pattern to make an interactive experience easy to use and efficient to design. But, sometimes, we get so enamored with their form we forget about their substance. Here’s what I mean.

Look at these three pages. (I removed the headers to protect the innocent.) Each is at the same level of a website (main topic hub). Each is using similar templates and patterns. At first glance, they look smashing. Surely, they’re creating some consistency in the user experience? Certainly, they’re teaching users what content to expect where?

TB Topic Template

Flu Topic Template

Cancer Topic Template

But look a little closer.

Topic Buttons

It appears the TB page features subtopics in the handy buttons labeled “Topics.” Meanwhile, the flu page features a mix of content formats and audiences in those same buttons. The cancer page features a mix of content about the organization, topics, audiences, and formats in the same area labeled topics.

Alas, the beautiful consistency is mostly skin deep.

Don’t fall for the temptation of applying attractive templates without carefully considering the content. Try to take the consistency deeper, to the content level. Your users will thank you for the fully usable experience.