installation workflow issues

[Jeff Spaleta]

On Feb 8, 2008 3:52 PM, Valent Turkovic <valent.turkovic at gmail.com> wrote:
> Dead end is probably wrong word here - bottleneck is probably a better one.
> If certain type of user comes to an option that he doesn't understand,
> installed doesn't explain in clear way what each choice does (in non
> geekish tongue) and default options would take him in wrong direction
> - that is what I mean by "bottleneck" or "dead end". Is it any clearer
> now?

I have a better idea now.  If options don't make sense, then perhaps
there are ways to add a better explanation. But if you are going to
attempt to do this you have to do it early enough so that translators
can catch up with any text changes before the string freeze later in
the release process.  If you want more than text changes, and want ui
layout changes as well, that will take more effort, you'll possibly
need to create some mock ups of the ui you want to persuade the
developers to change the layout.

If you are going to be assuming multiple archetypal users, instead of
just trying to state your personal opinion, you'll need to define what
those user types are, well enough so people can follow allow from
those hypothetical perspectives.  And if you come across something
that is confusing for one type of user, you'll have to make a case for
making a change that fits all the different user types you are
considering.  Optimizing for one sort of user, eventually means its
confusing for another.

-jef