I have recently upgraded to the new Firefox 3 browser, and it shows off some subtle but significant user-centered design innovation. One change in particular I noticed was the default address bar interface, that takes on the microcosmic engagement of the back/forward button. Who would ever question a convention that has become so standard and expected? The organic software creators on the Mozilla team did just that.
The change is based on simple visual hierarchy and task-based prioritization. Think about how often you use your own back button (come on now, you know what I mean) in relation to how often you use the forward button. The design reflects the use of the interaction, rather than vice versa.
Interestingly, a number of developers I’ve talked to about the new interface aren’t thrilled in general. And I am slightly bewildered by the proximity of the history interaction (it’s adjacent to the forward button rather than the back button). It turns out the reason they are turned off is because the display is different that what they are used to. As with any convention, adoption is a complex equation. Whether the button changes the way users feel about the interaction, or the way designers think about it is yet to be seen. But the fact that Firefox itself has built a nearly 20% share of the browser market by using an organic design platform shows that the masses are open to change. Let’s see how the 150 million Firefox users like the new back button.
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