Re: Draining the Swamp: A Technical User's Experience

[James Henstridge <james daa com au>]

Andy Tai wrote:

> No, you don't need user testing to widen programmers'
> eyes.  If you have an old relative who rarely touch
> computers and GUIs, try to have him use an X11-based
> desktop environment.  Just do simple things like
> single-click on an icon to select, double click on the
> icon to open.  You may soon find he may have problem
> with properly double clicking.  Either he clicks too
> slowly and double clicks become two single clicks, or
> he may not hold the mouse in place and icons get moved
> during the open process, thus not achieving the
> desired action.  Even if he gets it, wait six months
> without you being around, and you may find he has
> trouble doing that without "retraining." 
>
> Trying to have your grandmother using GNOME in a
> productive way may just be an impossible task with the
> current technology, no matter how hard the GNOME team
> tries.
>  
You seem to have just described a form of user testing.

James.

--
Email: james daa com au              | Linux.conf.au 2003 Call for Papers out
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