Posted by: Anonymous Coward
on July 10, 2004 02:37 AM
Useability is not a matter of taste -- "taste" is an esthetic, not functional consideration.
For instance, it's not a matter of "taste" or "opinion" whether the menu item mentioned in the article is overly technical and obscure for the lay user. It simply is incomprehensible to to anyone who doesn't know the term. It's a trivial task to give any menu item a self-explanatory name that any non-technical user can understand, and should be a matter of course for all developers no matter what platform they're developing for. Communicating in a language that the user understands is not a matter of taste, it's common sense (and common courtesy). (You wouldn't design a menu in Turkish for American users, would you?)
Similarly, it's not a matter of "taste" when it comes to what color schemes or screen layouts are optimally readable by sight-impaired users: those are proven technical issues. It only takes a bit of effort to search the web for guidance, or to contact organisations that advocate for those with special needs: many of those organisations have already done the useability work and are only too happy to advise developers.
"Choice" (and yes, ok, taste) can of course enter into which design scheme / menu structure / descriptive language to use if there are several choices that might serve users' needs equally well (or choosing to ignore users' requirements for whatever misguided reason).
In any case useability professionals definitely have their place but they're not necessary to design efficient, enjoyable, eminently useable applications.
I'm a developer. I don't have a degree in useability, nor do I consult with specialists when designing application interfaces. When I'm devising an interface I think about: how to guide a user through the process of completing their task so that they provide the information needed in the order required to get the result they want; with the clearest, cleanest visual experience; presenting options and explaining steps in the easiest to understand, plainest language (hopefully with an occasional tasteful dash of humor).
Sure it takes a little extra work, but it actually helps the development process (highlighting trouble spots). Anyone can do it if they choose to put themselves in the non-technical user's shoes. It's not rocket science. Like I said, it's just common sense and common courtesy.
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Re:The Reason why
Posted by: Anonymous Coward on July 10, 2004 02:37 AMFor instance, it's not a matter of "taste" or "opinion" whether the menu item mentioned in the article is overly technical and obscure for the lay user. It simply is incomprehensible to to anyone who doesn't know the term. It's a trivial task to give any menu item a self-explanatory name that any non-technical user can understand, and should be a matter of course for all developers no matter what platform they're developing for. Communicating in a language that the user understands is not a matter of taste, it's common sense (and common courtesy). (You wouldn't design a menu in Turkish for American users, would you?)
Similarly, it's not a matter of "taste" when it comes to what color schemes or screen layouts are optimally readable by sight-impaired users: those are proven technical issues. It only takes a bit of effort to search the web for guidance, or to contact organisations that advocate for those with special needs: many of those organisations have already done the useability work and are only too happy to advise developers.
"Choice" (and yes, ok, taste) can of course enter into which design scheme / menu structure / descriptive language to use if there are several choices that might serve users' needs equally well (or choosing to ignore users' requirements for whatever misguided reason).
In any case useability professionals definitely have their place but they're not necessary to design efficient, enjoyable, eminently useable applications.
I'm a developer. I don't have a degree in useability, nor do I consult with specialists when designing application interfaces. When I'm devising an interface I think about:
how to guide a user through the process of completing their task so that they provide the information needed in the order required to get the result they want;
with the clearest, cleanest visual experience;
presenting options and explaining steps in the easiest to understand, plainest language (hopefully with an occasional tasteful dash of humor).
Sure it takes a little extra work, but it actually helps the development process (highlighting trouble spots). Anyone can do it if they choose to put themselves in the non-technical user's shoes. It's not rocket science. Like I said, it's just common sense and common courtesy.
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