User Interfaces
Why is there such a strong focus on making user interfaces simple and easy?Let me give you 4 examples of software that is not simple and easy, and yet have the best user interfaces of all.
- The in-house terminal based applications we use at Mathematical Reviews. Replacing these applications with a point-and-click interface reduces productivity (unless you add other features to offset that). A completely keyboard driven application has a steeper learning curve but increases productivity in the long run.
- Vim. I have been using Vim for around 8 years, and before that its predecessor Vi. Vim is by far the best programmer's editor I have ever used and I won't even consider using an IDE if it doesn't integrate Vim. Therefore I don't use and IDE.
- Blender. Some people have described Blender's user interface as bizarre. Yes, it has a steep learning curve, but once you learn it you love it. It is very efficient and natural.
- GUI System Administration tools. What's wrong with editing config files? Even when I have a GUI available, I go to the command line to do all my system administration. It's just quicker and easier once you get past the curve. I was past the curve 13 years ago.
So what's my point? Don't judge software by its ease of use. Sometimes the best software takes an investment of time.
What has driven developers to make things easier and easier? It's not productivity or efficiency. It's not technical sophistication. It's not because it's better.
It's Marketing, plain and simple. If you want people to adopt your software you make it really really easy. You aim at the least common denominator. The lower you aim, the more you sell.
Categories: Web/Tech
I’m one of those who has stressed the importance of being user friendly. Perhaps I should modify that to say “APPROPRIATE friendliness for the particular user.” Actually, I did say something close to that on the ChMS discussion list — products (especially things like a church management system) need to address different users in appropriate ways for what they do and their level of technical capabilities. the more capable the user, the less the need for the handrails and such.
And just for the record, I like vi too! (I’ve probalby been using it for about 25 years — which sure makes me feel old)
-Tony
Hmm…as a programmer, I would agree. However, when we write code, we are writing it for humans (usually) and as such, I think it is dangerous to not give a certain importance to usability. arguably, learning any new software is a time investment, but one that can be made significantly easier if usability is considered from the very beginning.
also, there seems to be a parallel between bad software design, and software that is harder to use.
i think the real time investment should be made on the front end of any development work. we should have to bear that burden, more so than the user.
As far as Blender is concerned
I think all 3D packages that rise above the level of Wings3D have rather gruesome interfaces. You can pay one and a half thousand pounds for single Maya license, and still end up with an interface that consists of a dropdown in the topleft corner, that switches your menus between the major modes of operation, where each menu entry drops down and expands sideways, and has a little box on it that pops up a context menu, for options, when you click on it… Frankly, it’s a proper mare to work with! Don’t get me started on the so-called “Shelf”. The two things it really has, that place it streetts ahead, are paint-effects and FBIK.