Richard Curzon
06-22-2000, 11:49 AM
I'll break up the tangents..
> In my experience, these apps are often less usable than they should be.
That's
> because they play to a captive audience. IT creates these custom apps, and
> users are stuck with using them no matter how horrendous they may be to
use.
I most like doing apps that are not for general public, ones for expert
users of one kind or another.
In these cases the whole life cycle is a synergy between "experts": the
domain experts and the system experts. The expert knows what needs to be
done in all their use cases, AS AN EXPERT, and wants to be able to do it as
easily as possible, AS AN EXPERT. The last thing s/he wants to get in the
way is whether some non-expert person would get confused by something or
other.
Still, there is definitely usabilty about this app. But it's only an domain
expert who knows the difference. And it's no easier to deliver a solution
for domain expert vs the general public, in fact it's harder if you really
try to do it right. And don't just try to wedge their needs into standard
CRUD screens, etc.!!
But I bet you could lay down some principles that would work. Does anybody
recognize "usability for experts" distinct from "usability for
General-Clerk-Hired-Yesterday" <g>?
Richard
> In my experience, these apps are often less usable than they should be.
That's
> because they play to a captive audience. IT creates these custom apps, and
> users are stuck with using them no matter how horrendous they may be to
use.
I most like doing apps that are not for general public, ones for expert
users of one kind or another.
In these cases the whole life cycle is a synergy between "experts": the
domain experts and the system experts. The expert knows what needs to be
done in all their use cases, AS AN EXPERT, and wants to be able to do it as
easily as possible, AS AN EXPERT. The last thing s/he wants to get in the
way is whether some non-expert person would get confused by something or
other.
Still, there is definitely usabilty about this app. But it's only an domain
expert who knows the difference. And it's no easier to deliver a solution
for domain expert vs the general public, in fact it's harder if you really
try to do it right. And don't just try to wedge their needs into standard
CRUD screens, etc.!!
But I bet you could lay down some principles that would work. Does anybody
recognize "usability for experts" distinct from "usability for
General-Clerk-Hired-Yesterday" <g>?
Richard