Why and How Goggle+’s Interface Is Kicking Ass

I’m submitting this because I have been using Google+ with that same smile on my face. The interaction design is just so incredibly well done.

Here is one tiny example: How do you add someone as a friend (or rather to one of your circles) when you encounter them commenting somewhere?

Here is what you do in Facebook: You click on their name which takes you to their profile page and then you click the friend request button next to their name. A pop up opens where you have to click once again to send them the friend request. If you want to put them on a list before sending them the request you have to click another two times. That’s five clicks and one page reload.

Here is what you do in Google+: As soon as you hover over the name a tooltip with a larger profile photo and that person’s current company or university appears (to help you make sure that you’ve got the right person). You can still go to their profile if you want to but there is also a big add button right there in the tooltip. As soon as you hover over that add button (you don’t even have to click it) a list of your circles with checkboxes appears and you can check or uncheck however many you want. (This interface also allows you to remove someone from your circles or to put them in a different or in an additional circle, it’s really powerful.) That’s one click and no page reload.

Also, since it’s all happening around the profile name (the tooltip appears right next to it, the list of your circles replaces the big add button on the tooltip) everything is really close to each other. It’s an interface that respects Fitt’s law. When you use Facebook you have to mouse all over the place to get things done, when you use Google+ you only need minimal mouse movement.

You really have to use it to experience the difference (and to get the smile on your face). Facebook feels clunky and slow, Google+ feels fluid and fast.

It’s astonishing, really. Gmail, for example, is certainly solid work but it’s nothing like Google+. Google+ is a whole different level.

Edit: Arrrg, I’m partially wrong. Facebook actually also has a tooltip. It shows up after a second or so (vs half a second at Google+). So that removes two steps and the reload. There is still this huge request pop up and it’s four clicks and no page reload.