Customisable UIs are the best. Or are they?
Many pundits have, for quite some time, insisted that web interfaces that allow a degree of personalisation or customisation out-perform those interfaces that present the same face to all visitors. Much of the research on this aspect of interfaces has centred around applications, rather than websites or applications delivered over the web.
New research suggests that, rather than being the “best of all worlds”, websites that allow customisation have the same measured usability as non-customised sites. Additionally, those sites that allow products customisation come up even worse in the usability stakes, thus possibility reinforcing the belief that “less really is more”.
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/customization.html
Tags: interfaces, usability