Are customizable settings important in web apps?

Question

It seems a lot of web applications allow users to change the color scheme, either to custom values or from several predefined ones (blue/yellow, grays, red/yellow, etc). I'm wondering if this is an important issue to consider adding. I'm looking at some premade application templates to speed up the design of my application, and a lot of them make heavy use of CSS graphics which are hard to customize without having different graphics for each predefined color scheme.

So when focusing on creating an application that can be used by many different subscribers, is the added ability to customize the colors something to consider, or is the average user going to be okay with one look and feel when the colors might not match the colors of their business?

Answer 1

It depends on what your site is for. If your site is about Web design or site customization then maybe this is a high priority, but otherwise it's probably not. Personally, I never use those features.

Nothing is going to aggravate your users more than a buggy site or one that doesn't solve the problem it claims to. So if making your site customizable takes away from the time you need to make it functional, I would skip it.

One exception might be if you choose a non-traditional color scheme for your site, such as white text on a black background. In that case you might want to provide users with other options.

Answer 2

Customizing color schemes or other aesthetic elements of your web app provides users with an opportunity for self-expression. As such, it will be valuable for users who identify with your app. There are three classes of app where this may be the case:

• Apps that are intended for self-expression (e.g., personal sites like MySpace and Facebook). If the purpose of the app is for the users to create representations of themselves, then you probably should support aesthetic customization.

• Apps used in some sort of public performance or interaction. If others are going to see the users use the app, then it becomes associated with the users, and they may want to control their self-presentations. This includes companies that use your app and want to "brand" it as their own. PowerPoint slides are an example of this, but so are apps used in informal social situations (e.g., something used among groups of friends).

• Apps that are central to an important and frequent task. If users invest their identities in their vocation or avocation, it may extend to the tools they use, so they may like to personalize them. If some of your users are real enthusiasts for your app (the way some are about Basecamp), then you may want to support aesthetic customization. Keep in mind that supporting aesthetic customization will not create enthusiasts for your product, but it can enhance the enthusiasm that is already there.

The above applies to a very small number of apps. Most web apps are used infrequently for a specific task that isn’t all that important to the user. Most users are about as interested in customizing the appearance of web apps as they are in customizing the appearance of their toaster oven. As long as it looks reasonably stylish and doesn’t offend, then users are not going to want to spend time futzing with it.

Aesthetic customization may also provide entertainment value to the users as they try different colors or styles and see the result. However, if your users are that bored with your app, you probably have more serious problems. You should try to find a better way of amusing them (e.g., with powerful advanced features that actually have utility).

If you do provide aesthetic customization, remember that most users are not designers and usually their customizations will be worse from both an aesthetic and usability standpoint than what you would choose. You can mitigate this somewhat by providing canned themes.

Answer 3

Since you said in a comment it's a web app like Harvest, Basecamp, Highrise, et all., it seens it's an application that users are going to interact with their clients, and, in this scenario, it's a great idea to provide ways to customize the application so the visual identity can be maintained.

Imagine if your brand is red and your application is all green and I can't customize: from a business perspective, I would see it as a disadvantage in your app. Being able to change colors, or even using user's css files is the scenario you provided is a great feature.

In other scenarios, I believe it's a good idea to provide ways to customize without enforcing it. Customizing should be an "advanced" feature that only users willing to change would use it, so you keep your application simple.