A really good article on software usability
Les Mikesell
lesmikesell at gmail.com
Fri Jan 5 19:26:20 UTC 2007
On Fri, 2007-01-05 at 19:14 +0000, Anne Wilson wrote:
> On Friday 05 January 2007 18:32, Scott van Looy wrote:
> >
> > This is how software *should* be developed. Programmers all too frequently
> > forget that they are servicing the user, not telling them what to do.
> >
> Absolutely true. But let's not forget that if you were the first tester and I
> was the second they would probably see entirely different actions and
> reactions. Human differences can't be ignored, and to expect any programmer
> to know what is perfect for every user is beyond all sense and reason.
There's also the difference between the first-time testing experience
and
your acquired tastes after familiarity sets in. These are much like
the differences you want in tutorials vs. reference manuals. After
you have been through a tutorial you probably never want to see it
again.
Software is often designed to be attractive to first-time users and
perhaps has to be, but once you have learned it's tricks and it has
learned your preferences it should adapt to stay more out of the way.
--
Les Mikesell
lesmikesell at gmail.com
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