User interface for online service
1991-1995

Prior to the Internet explosion, Ziff-Davis recognized the potential of the online medium and set about to create a revolutionary new tool for publishing.

This four-year effort engaged over a hundred software developers and produced the Interchange Online Network. I was a founding member of the design team behind Interchange and was one of the most influential people in nearly every aspect of its design.

Although the Web foiled commercial success, we introduced many new capabilities and ideas into the online world that had not previously existed.

FOR USERS
• clean easy-to-read design with custom screen fonts and simple icons
• the ability to monitor favorite areas or topics for new information and retrieve it automatically for use offline
• global searching of any area by keyword, date range, or custom parameters
• multi-tasking for background downloading or updating of favorites

FOR PUBLISHERS
• integrated WYSIWYG editing tools
• template and stylesheet system allowing changes to be made across multiple documents
• simple drag and drop linking

The clean look was reinforced through consistent style standards and templates that my team managed.

The interface design was widely cited as one of Interchange's key strengths and we had an on-site usability lab to test ideas and prototypes with sample users.