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When we take the time to figure out what we assume, it can unveil opportunities for innovation.

The purpose of the following list is not to say that these changes will make for a better internet experience, or that there aren’t exceptions to these assumptions, but merely to discover what we assume about the dub dub dub.

It is assumed that:

• sites are navigated by clicking on links. What if there were other behaviors to control your user experience
• files from the server is what will load on screen. What if images like “mom.jpg” were accessed from your hard drive and displayed on a web page? What if these images endorsed products?
• pages are navigated with visual feedback. What if items were read or found by aural feedback, or tactile experiences.
• web pages are benign. What if clicking on links or viewing web pages created negative repercussions in your neighborhood or house?
• we can revisit a page. What if once a web page is viewed, you could never see the page again?
• single user experiences. What if we viewed where other visitors mouse cursors were while we were visiting a site.
• when the cursor turns to “the hand” that it is a link to click on.
• typing in the web address will take you to pages
• the locked symbol means you are on a secure page
• you can close the window/browser
• when the loading bar grows, it is actually downloading information
• the text will be written in a language you can read
• your actions will not directly influence other visitors
• you “go to” a site. When in actuality the server is loading files to your computer.
• the website does not represent something living
• the website will not harm you
• you cannot break the site
• the site is autonomous, meaning what if you had to visit other sites before being able to visit this site
• you will be asked for your contact info
• there will be a dot in the URL
• the publishers of the content want you to visit
• the advertisers want you to click on the ads
• you will be given an opportunity to buy or participate with what you are experiencing
• purchases made will result in receiving the product/service/info
• links can’t degrade, decompose, or wear out.
• website will use colors in the normal visible color spectrum
• information will be available the entire time you are on the page
• the information will not change as you are on the page
• it is a page … what is it really?
• there will be enough contrast of the elements to distinguish differentiation
• you will use your mouse to interact with the web site
• your cursor floats above the content
• smell and a few other senses aren’t very relevant
• content will stay within the borders of the browser window
• links will take you to where they say they will
• interaction is required for some pages to continue
• your current browser window will not affect the content of other windows
• site will not self-destruct
• site was written by a human. What if the site was generated from samplings or rhythms from nature?
• users have unlimited clicks
• blinking won’t affect the page
• you can return to the page
• information on site has been posted in the last 20 years
• relative/complete anonymity
• websites will be polite
• websites will stay open as long as you want
• websites aren’t effected by the hour of the day —they don’t get tired at the end of the day (j.a)
• users don’t want to wait for content
• assume info is up to date (j.a.)
• there is more than the splash page to the site – what if the site was merely a zen experience or a pretty screensaver?
• we want users to interact with the page
• users don’t want to know how a site works or what it is doing to your computer
• the browser will be the place to view the content. What if a page simple stated: “you now have the contents of this site pasted into your clipboard, use another program, like TextEdit or NotePad to paste in the content and see what you would’ve seen on this page”
• visitors won’t be the primary generators of the content or structure
• sites won’t recognize speech to visual action commands
• your cursor will immediately respond – what if it was tired or grouchy? (j.a)
• we need to hit the tab key or use the mouse to go to the next field when filling out a form – what if forms automatically recognized when the form field was complete, like with phone number digits, and automagically focused on the next field
• The orientation of your laptop or computer does not affect the site, see LiquidMac. (ja)
• Scrolling up and down will go up and down instead of left to right.
• Things will not scroll diagonally.
• Preloaders will be the same for each scene (#61)

What else can you add to the list?