Re: [Usability] an open source usability community

["Damian Haase" <damianhaase01 yahoo com>]

> Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2003 17:30:33 -0400
> From: Havoc Pennington <hp redhat com>
> I'd caution you that the lack isn't really ideas; rather, we could use
> more solid methodology, documentation, empirical data, and meritocratic
> organization. That is, ways to separate the good ideas from the bad
> ones. Plenty of people are willing to mouth off with their opinions, but
> how do we stop having opinions and start having solid recommendations.

> Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 13:01:19 +0000
> From: Calum Benson <Calum Benson Sun COM>
> (Of course, it would be great if the group you envision was able to
> organise and run such meaningful studies-- you don't need big bucks and
> a usability lab to run a good usability test.)

I've been lurking on this list for a little while to see what needs to be
done. So is it usability studies/testing that are most needed? Empirical
data, as Havoc mentioned? It's true that it's not an expensive proposition.
It's a bit time consuming, is all.

About methodology: where is methodology lacking? In testing and validation?
In documentation? In intra- or extra-group communications?

Do we want to establish a centralized - to whatever extent - process for
identifying projects, requesting (recruiting?) volunteers, assigning and
collecting work, peer review, publishing, etc? Or do the members of the
group prefer to keep things ad-hoc? I would love to see GNOME continue to
move... how can a usability community best contribute? And how can I help?

- Damian