Formatting tips from Scott Adams
(flickr tag: travel)
Scott Adams, of Dilbert fame, recently posted on his blog about some of the atrocious formatting used in online travel itineraries and driving directions.
When I book a flight on Orbitz, they e-mail me this little confusing mess of a confirmation that just pisses me off:
“Tuesday, June 5, 2007
United Airlines # 1212Oakland Metropolitan Oak Intl (OAK) to Denver International (DEN)
Departure (OAK): June 5, 1:57 PM PDT (afternoon)
Arrival (DEN): June 5, 5:20 PM MDT (evening)”It says “June 5” three times. It says both “PM” and “(afternoon)” whereas “PDT” and “MDT” go unexplained. How many people are confused by AM and PM and yet understand PDT and MDT? It borders on random. And would it kill them to use the tab key?
Here’s how an itinerary should be formatted. You put the times on the left, and whatever info you need to the right of those times, in the order you need it.
