Mailinglist Archive: opensuse-ux (48 mails)

["Rajko M." <rmatov101@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Thursday 15 November 2007 03:58:01 am Martin Schmidkunz wrote:
> Rajko M. wrote:
> > Martin:
> > The terminology used in Windows can't be used here,
>
> Mhm.. I can't remember I suggested something like that...

Talking about existing mental model, implicitly set this to existing 
experience of majority and that is Windows. 

> Anyway, I also want to answer Johannes` mail:
> > As far as I  know, good usability is when the software creates
> > the right mental model in the user's mind i.e. a mental model
> > which matches reasonably to what there actually is in the system
> > (which does of course not mean an exact match).
>
> That is correct, but good usability takes also care of the existing
> mental model of the user.
> That doesn't mean that it should be implemented, but if you are doing
> something that doesn't meet the user's expectations you have to explain
> that to him (by e.g. using tutorials, explanatory text, new metaphores
> (like the trashbin).
> And we should really, really focus on bringing the printing model to the
> user. That means of course that it is not enough to hide the explanation
> in the help text :-) 

That is major problem in YaST. 
It gives help text that is in front of user eyes and anyway user comes on mail 
list to ask a question.  

> > It seems we come again back to the wizard-style.

This is for sure good idea for new users. 
In wizard you get step by step guide, with one question at the time and 
options to answer. It is hard to ignore help text if it is given as 
explanation of options that one has to select.

Experienced users should have large blocks of options that could be filled in 
at once. I really hate, when I forget default gateway, and have to repeat 
network configuration, and that would not happen if I would have all fields 
in front of me at once. 

Also it would be good to have option to save (export) configuration for future 
reuse so that one can skip manual configuration on system reinstallation. 

> Michal: do you already have some drafts on that or would you like some
> support?
>
>
> Cu,
>
> Martin
>
>
> --
> Martin Schmidkunz
> User Experience Specialist
> martin.schmidkunz@xxxxxxxxxx
> +49 (0) 911 740 53-346
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
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>
> Novell, Inc.
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-- 
Regards,
Rajko.
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