belated wisdom for the week

[kaigou]

If there is ever any experience that should remind website and applications developers that they ignore the current site or application at their peril, it should be the experience of test-driving new cars. Even the most open-minded and innovative person turns into a two-year old when test driving. The steering column is too small. The dashboard's not the same. Where's the damn A/C button? Holy crap, I just sent the radio's volume to eighty, and I just wanted to change stations! Why won't the boot open?

Whine, whine, whine, and it all boils down to: this isn't what I'm used to.

It's amazing to me -- considering I've spent a good part of my life listening to people gripe about such things in terms of interfaces -- that sometimes I come so close to forgetting that. Theoretically change is good... but only if it's subtle, and intelligent, change. It must actually improve something. Otherwise, it's just an annoying distraction that constitutes nothing more than having to learn a new, if equally inefficient, habit. And why waste time on that? Just keep with the same old inefficient habits, and save your energy for adapting to a change that's truly worthwhile.

*goes back to whining about wheelbases and torque and suspensions*

Maybe the next time I deal with developers or clients pushing so hard for fancy-schmancy new tech for no reason other than it's flashy... I should arrange to meet at a nearby car dealership and force them all to adopt the mindset that they must purchase a new car, and to test-drive with that in mind. Let's see how much they complain about the new not pleasing them as much as the old, unh-hunh.

(Not that I'd expect it to really bring them to their senses, but at least I'd be amused in the meantime.)

Comments

[clowe.livejournal.com]

I've never really whined about software updates or new OS's. Generally I've always thought the updates were pretty good. But wowsers, boss, I hate the new version of Microsoft Word. It's mostly to do with the new interface, which while cool in theory, does not work well with screen magnifiers or screen readers, both of which I use at work and at home. I know, it's a small and unique beef to have with a program, but if the application's viewable window doesn't automatically shrink down to adjust for the magnifier, then I'm essentially out of luck.

[kaigou.livejournal.com]

I find myself far more sensitive to the issue of sizing these days, now that I switch between a 24" Mac screen for home and a 12" laptop screen for work... cripes. When something opens automatically to X size -- whether too big or too small -- it's still wasted time dealing with resizing, arranging, getting it to do what you want. Considering the amt of power that systems require these days (HD, RAM, etc) why can't they bloody well record & remember our preferred settings for an application? The last eighteen-freaking times I opened and closed this program, I had it at about X size -- figure it out already!

I haven't used the newest version of Word, but I can tell you I hate the newest version of Visio. Any application that thinks it's a good thing to take up real estate with extra baubles -- especially on a laptop where real estate is a precious, precious thing -- is an application sure to annoy me. I go ballistic when I discover there's no way to close the stupid thing, however. Gee, THANKS FOR DECIDING FOR ME.

I much prefer the older applications of Word for Win (thefting from Wordperfect, I believe) where when you installed new or upgrade, it would ask you: "do you want to keep ___ interface?" So you could opt, then or later, to try the new interface... or you could stay with the one you were used to, with the new elements added in far more subtly. When it comes to work, that's exactly what I want: to not have to ever THINK about what I'm using, so I can focus on what I'm doing.

[clowe.livejournal.com]

I didn't even think to see if the old interface was even an option. Going to have to dig through MS's forums and tech support tonight to find the answer to that. Because you're right - keeping the interface options the same would be great.

As far as resizing, I definitely hear you. As strange as it sounds to hear a compliment on Vista, I actually dig the heck out of it for its app running capabilities when all the preset safety features are turned off. There's a lot more options to run older software under the basic properties, and it makes running old software and video games an absolute breeze.

However, that being said... the apps themselves sometimes run into a lot of problems with pathfinding and that sort of thing. It's nothing that a couple of visits to tech support or forums can't fix.

[talheres.livejournal.com]

Theoretically change is good... but only if it's subtle, and intelligent, change.

This is why I hate it when people complain about how KDE or other desktop manager is too much like Windows, and why they supposedly can't innovate. Or to make it more Mac-like. I've never seen the problem with the idea of an interface to be at least somewhat familiar to those who have never used this type of software before, much less a Mac, so what's the point of elitism?

[kaigou.livejournal.com]

I agree -- the closer I can get a design to the original (but with subtle improvements), the better I'm doing. And I have no problem with someone saying, "but I'm fine with this, why do I need [read: need to waste time learning] that?" Given I have the same iPod I bought four years ago and am currently moaning endlessly about the notion of replacing a 12-year old car, I can totally relate to people reluctant to change and who do fine with the less-than-latest.

That's what makes projects like the current one so damn hard: the original design is so bad, so thoroughly maldesigned, that any change would be an improvement -- but that change comes with a massive shift in interface at the same time, and I know for certain that's going to cause huge, huge problems in getting folks to adopt it.

I feel like I'm taking an old Bug, tearing it all the way down to the wheelbase, and rebuilding it into a Honda Accord. Nothing too fancy in the overall scheme of things, mind you -- we're not talking a new Mercedes -- but it's still a long, long way from a bucket on wheels with no headroom and a dashboard held on with duct tape.

Normally I'm less intense on strategies for adoption, but this time, looks like it's going to be a big part of it: what to change, and how often, to slowly move the existing interface towards the final/improved version. I suspect I'll be having headaches for months over this...

[talheres.livejournal.com]

Trying to make it simple as possible without dumbing it down (I'll do my best not to get into a big rant about the Gnome project, dammit) sounds like the best idea, but it's not like I know anything about programming, much less how to run a project.

Has there been attempts to make cross software comparisons with similar applications yet?

I suspect I'll be having headaches for months over this...

I don't know if I'd bother to buy it, but I think there should be books about the process of successfully getting through these kinds of problems from people who have been there. It might be pretty useful for other designers, so I think it might be a good idea if you and other involved in these things eventually write and publish about it.

[kraehe.livejournal.com]

I keep hearing stories from our IT department about our new audio storage/delivery system. We're transitioning from an old, bad system to a new, better system, but the users (who have a LOT of clout) keep insisting that the new system's interface look just like the old one because that's what they're used to.

Not good. This is sure to result in a ton o' bugs.