Help On Report

Im going to be writing a report (4000 words I think) on the topic of "intuitiveness/consistancy in computer interfaces".

Well, ive gotten some nice research done, and I am about to start planning tests/focus group-type sessions.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had any experience on this topic?

I would love to talk to programmers who have designed programs with GUIs, artists who have disigned icons for programs, etc. I would want to know about considerations that were made on usability(or weren't made), troubles/issues, etc.

So if anyone would like to help me out, I'd appreciate it.

Email: contrasutra@myrealbox.com

MSN: frink36@hotmail.com

AIM: frink366

Jabber: contrasutra@jabber.org

Also, If some extremely kind programmer would help me to design sample programs (not really functioning, just the GUI) for tests/presentations, I would be extremely grateful.

I have only written CLI programs, which is no use (though I may do some tests on how hard the CLI REALLY is.)

This project isn't due for a while, so no one would be rushed in communication.

Last bit: If you are using your computer, and spot a GUI inconsistancy/error, like the description not corresponding with the function, or an icon that is TOTALLY unhelpful, drop me a line telling me about it, I would be VERY grateful. It doesn't have to be a big mistake either, just a little one.

Thanks.

Anyone who helps me gets a badge (Y) (until Timmie finds out I said that).

#74559

Only person getting a badge is you in big BOLD PRINT BANNED :6

Sorry cant help you on your report. you should of payed attention in class.

#74564

Originally posted by Timan@Nov 6 2003, 10:52 PM

Only person getting a badge is you in big BOLD PRINT BANNED  :6

Sorry cant help you on your report. you should of payed attention in class.

They have classes on this stuff?

Fine then, just notice people's minor mistakes for me.

Actually, Did you take any usability considerations when making your forum skins? Because I LOVE your forum skins. They are always very usable to me. I find some other forums very hard to use/navigate, but A-S and TCPU's always feel natural.

#74571

sounds like an extended essay for ib.

sorry i can't help you out, though. this isn't my area of expertise at all.

#74574

Originally posted by dreamz@Nov 6 2003, 11:03 PM

sounds like an extended essay for ib.

That's exactly what it is.

How I loathe IB. <_<

#74576

i loved ib! especially theory of knowledge.

hopefully the programmers and designers at a-s will respond and help you out.

#74584

Have to say that Mac OS X scrollbars are superior to the Windows interface. Having the arrows clustered all in one spot makes it easier to scroll without having to reposition your mouse.

Inconsistency which annoys the hell out of me; XP uses AT LEAST 2 different dialog boxes to handle Open and Save functions. Office has a third dialog box type. One well functioning box will do, thank you, and not to mention, the majority use old ugly 16 color icons which look like they were ripped from Win95.

OS X; vertical screen real-estate is valuable, since many people read documents which are longer than they are wide. The Mac finder is (IIRC), stuck to the top of the screen, can't move it off to the side. This problem is migitated by the thickness of the menubar, under two dozen pixels.

Tooltips in XP; you can't get rid of the fcuking things... They're annoying, if I wanted a textual interface, I would have stuck with DOS. They're solid, so they obscure anything which happen to be lying under them. No option exists to make them transparent.

I find the default New Folder icon in XP to be rather unhelpful and ambiguous. Needs to have a big bold + sign on it or something...

#74629

Hey Contra, I can help, if you like...

Not only have I read pretty much every document I can find on usability and accessibility on the web, but I've also done a few courses on "designing usable interfaces"...

I can put together lots of example UI stuff for you, too

You know where I am... :shy:

#74638

I can also do sample interface stuff, but it'd be in Tk. :shy: Another possibility that you could play with on your own is doing some stuff with Glade. I only played with it for a few minutes, but from what I could tell, it'd be easy to make an interface without having to do any code.

Edit: I also know a fair amount on web accessability, but Stevie BM probably knows everything I do and more. >.<

And on a side note, I wonder if I've ever posted without going back and editing the post. I even use post previews before I post. :shy:

#74642

Originally posted by GreySim@Nov 7 2003, 10:31 AM

I can also do sample interface stuff, but it'd be in Tk.  :shy:  Another possibility that you could play with on your own is doing some stuff with Glade.  I only played with it for a few minutes, but from what I could tell, it'd be easy to make an interface without having to do any code. 

Edit: I also know a fair amount on web accessability, but Stevie BM probably knows everything I do and more.  >.<

And on a side note, I wonder if I've ever posted without going back and editing the post.  I even use post previews before I post.  :shy:

I doubt that I know everything you do and more - if there's one thing I've learnt in my life, it's that there's always something that people know more about than you, even within the same subject...

#74646

Thanks for all the help everyone.

Im thinking Im going to focus more on the big UI parts, instead of small things like button placement, because that topic has been beaten to death (though I'll still talk about it).

I'll do things like "Dock or Taskbar: Which is really more usable", "Desktop Icons: Help or Hurt?" etc.

#74742