The often forgoten user

Often in usability the focus is on the “lowest common denominator” which is to say the least experienced user.  This is because generally people only consider something usable if they (an unexperienced user) can pick it up and instantly be a power user.

The problem with this is that when looking at something complex like large scale system management the user is required to have some background knowledge on how the system works.  If you where to design the system for a user with no knowledge you will most likely be hampering the systems ability to complete its tasks. You may also make it more difficult for experienced users to access the functionality they desire.

On occasion a company will say “Minimize the novice user’s experience and maximize the experts experience” and by doing so find great success.  I would argue that a great example of this is Adobe’s Photoshop.  There are lots of products that are considerably easier to use yet Photoshop has become the gold standard of image processing software.  This standard is not only in the professional world but runs deep into the amateur/home-user world as well.  Most people who have any interest in digital image processing have a desire to own this application even if they have never done it before and may not find it easy to use.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe Photoshop is a difficult program to use but for a completely novice user it is bound to be intimidating and have a fairly steep learning curve.  But by choosing to focus on the advanced user Adobe has ensured that their product is the best one.

WordPress 2.5 Upgrade

I decided to take a minute and update my WordPress install to the new and improved WordPress 2.5.  I must say I really like the new look and feel.  It is light, clean and appears to run a bit faster.  It is clear that they had input from a usability expert as it utilizes many techniques I employ daily.

The only change that I am not sold on is the idea of having the categories located below the post.  To me this just makes it easier to forget to adjust/add the proper categories for each post.  For many users this information will be below the fold making it difficult to find.

One area major advancements where made in is the handling of pictures and other media types.  There is a new multi-file uploader that is simple and easy to use.  It even gives you a preview after the upload allowing you to verify that the proper files where uploaded.

If you are a current WordPress user or are considering starting a blog, I highly recommend upgrading to the newest version.

Know your peers

A List Apart had a great article today about “who” is in the world of user experience design. The article and corresponding PDF are a worth while read for anyone in the industry.

Improving the user experience of usability

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about the User Experience of Usability. Since then I have been consistently thinking about ways to improve upon usability’s user experience. As I stated in the previous post every organization is different so the methods to improve the user experience are going to be different.

I do believe there are somethings usability professionals can do as an individual to improve the experience of working with usability. The following list contains few ideas I have come up with and are only backed by my personal experiences.

Become and industry professional

Do not just stop with knowing the usability side of your industry but branch out to learning about the development and infrastructure sides as well. By doing so you create a deeper respect and understanding for what it takes to build those beautiful designs you created. It also can help build respect from the development/infrastructure group by allowing you to speak at their level regarding the various development/infrastructure problems.

Become an active user

Use as many applications as you can and more importantly use them regularly. Do not just use the product(s) you are assigned or even just the product(s) your organization creates. This will keep you up to speed on the problems arising in the industry and more specifically your genera of products. It will help you see problems before you are asked to find a solution and can give you an idea of features your company may desire.

Consistently seek new interactions

Always be searching for new innovative interactions and tools that facilitate the construction of said interactions. This will help you create a mental library of various solutions. Utilizing this library will allow you to be more responsive and shorten your design time. Any time you save means more time for other members of the project to complete their work. Building a library of tools can come in handy when overcoming the “We cannot build that because it is not possible.” argument. It also allows you to lead developers towards a tangible example of how you want the widget to function.

Use research to build your case

Remember that when you are an expert in a field that others probably do not share your knowledge. This lack of understanding causes the stakeholders to not follow why you created the design as you did. To over come this you may need to explain in detail and provide research backing your decisions. This consistent validation can be tiresome but it has been my experience that stakeholders will learn that your decisions are not made on a whim and start respecting your decisions.

Choose your battles wisely

This might be the most important thing to remember. It is extremely rare that usability is the primary concern of the stakeholders. In many situations the stakeholders’ concerns directly conflict with creating a strong user experience. Each conflict can create a rift between you and them, therefore it is important to choose only the points you feel can make or break the experience. This will minimize the rifts creating a stronger relationship between you and the rest of the team.

These are just a few ideas I have come up with to help increase the user experience of usability. Many of these ideas may seem like second nature or old news but I find complacency comes quickly and easily. Therefore taking a moment to reflect on them is always a good idea.

User Experience of Usability

What is the user experience of usability? This question has been rolling around in my feeble mind over the last several days and I am yet to find an adequate answer.Usability is like cellphone production. The primary stake holder is not always the end user. Cellphone manufacturersrarely sell their phones directly to the public. Instead they sell them to a service provider who in turn sells them to the public. Usability functions in the same way in that, those who usability must answer to are generally not the customer. More often it is the business group or development leadership for that application that ultimately prioritizes the value of usability.

This creates an interesting situation where the primary concern of a usability specialist (end user) is often not the primary concern for the person making the final call. The difficult piece is that users generally don’t understand all variables that go into building a product. If usability gets cut to meet a deadline or for simplicity in production the end user may get a lower quality product. In the end, the user doesn’t directly care if it was easier to build or makes it to market three days sooner. All that matters is that the product works as they desire.

With this in mind can the user experience of usability be improved there by improving the end product? I think the ultimate answer to this is – it depends on your companies protocol and priorities but there is always some room for improvement. Realistically usability must strive to find a harmony between what is right for the user and what is right for the business group. In my opinion this is the definition of a usability specialists. They become a mediator attempting to balance what is best for the business while safe guarding what is best for the end user. Unfortunately these two often conflict making the usability specialist the outsider when it comes time to deal with the stake holders.

What can be done to improve the user experience of usability? This is hard to say and perhaps a topic for another day.