<html><body><div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000"><div> This morning the U.S. Census Bureau paid me $100 for some UI feedback. The person there told me, "I didn't design the web site, so I want you to be very candid in your feedback."</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> Me: Okay</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> Her: "What is your overall impression of the web site?"</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> Me: It totally, totally sucks. Did you folks use Crayola crayons to build a mock-up? If this web site were designed by middle school students,</div><div>I'd say it would be a good first attempt. Do you want me to tell you why?</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> Her: Yes.</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> So then I patiently and kindly explained about all the gratuitous and un-needed elements on the web site. </div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> Then when I reached the Male/Female radio buttons on one of their surveys, I could barely take it any longer.</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> "Just curious, did you folks get your web design degrees at Patriarchy University?"</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> I was fully expecting to read about the 3/5th of a person, but apparently the Census Bureau heard about the Emancipation Proclamation.</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> I concluded by telling them, "I appreciate your asking me for feedback. I'm hopeful that improvements can be made</div><div>before the decennial census. You folks have your work cut out for you."</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> They paid me my money and I gleefully ordered a pizza.</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> phil</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div><br></div><div data-marker="__SIG_POST__">-- <br></div><div>--<br>Phil Shapiro, pshapiro@his.com<br>http://www.his.com/pshapiro/briefbio.html<br>http://www.twitter.com/philshapiro<br>http://www.his.com/pshapiro/stories.menu.html<br><br>"Wisdom begins with wonder." - Socrates<br>"Learning happens thru gentleness."<br><div><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"We must reinvent a future free of blinders so that we can choose from real options." David Suzuki</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></div></div></div></body></html>