[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 

List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Kcontrol proposal - screenshot
From:       Simon Edwards <simon () simonzone ! com>
Date:       2002-09-08 21:28:07
[Download RAW message or body]

On Thursday 05 September 2002 23:52, Waldo Bastian wrote:
> In general people are able to process about 6 or 7 bits of infortmation at
> a time. As long as each level constitutes about that amount of choices I
> don't think 2 or 3 levels matters that much.

This "about 7 or so bits of information" is known as Miller's Law, BTW, and 
you've applied it incorrectly in this situation.

> Do you have any research that shows that usability drops dramaticaly after
> the 2nd level?

http://www.sapdesignguild.org/community/design/hierarchies.asp

towards the end:

"Why is breadth harmless and why are the people who cite Miller wrong? Because 
the user doesn't have to memorize the menu - that is to say, the link list. 
It's on the screen and available to the user. The memory problem is posed by 
the levels or steps to be remembered; that is why a route in a maze is so 
hard to remember."


-- 
Simon Edwards             | Guarddog Firewall
simon@simonzone.com       | http://www.simonzone.com/software/
Nijmegen, The Netherlands | "ZooTV? You made the right choice."


_______________________________________________
kde-usability mailing list
kde-usability@mail.kde.org
http://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-usability
[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]