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List: kde-usability
Subject: Example dataset in empty applications,
From: "Diego Moya" <turingt () gmail ! com>
Date: 2008-01-24 10:13:30
Message-ID: 11ee04940801240213p55717f9fl132e8676124e1ba5 () mail ! gmail ! com
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[Attachment #2 (multipart/alternative)]
Hi all,
I have an idea that I'd like to propose, related to the "blank slate"
problem, which I feel is a serious usability concern I have when using
KDE-based applications. This is my particular itch I'd like to scratch, so
to say.
For a definition of the blank slate" problem, see
http://gettingreal.37signals.com/ch09_The_Blank_Slate.php and
http://agateau.wordpress.com/2008/01/10/first-impression-matters/. The
linked article describes how users can get a bad first impression when
reviewing a new application that starts with empty data. Quoting:
"Unfortunately, the customer decides if an application is worthy at this
blank slate stage =97 the stage when there's the least amount of informatio=
n,
design, and content on which to judge the overall usefulness of the
application. When you fail to design an adequate blank slate, people don't
know what they are missing because everything is missing."
The problem appears when the user doesn't yet understand the domain model o=
n
which the application operates. An empty application only shows the actions
available on that model - but it doesn't show what kinds of information it
can manage. Say, if I don't understand what KWallet is for, I will grasp it
more quickly if I see a fictional "Passwords for Grandma" profile, linked t=
o
the registered applications for which it's keeping passwords, that if I jus=
t
only get the usual commands "create profile", "type password"... operating
over empty fields.
My proposed solution is to include an example dataset in every KDE
application by convention, as a standard feature. This maybe could be done
by suggesting its inclusion in the Usability Guidelines, or by adding it in
the framework a standard control (like the About menu) that every
application should implement. This dataset should show when executing the
application for the first time, just like Konqueror does in the start page,
and would include a well thought out item collection displaying the most
common use cases of the application, as well as some infrequent but
important cases.
I have discussed this with Ellen Reitmayr of the kde-guidelines mailing
list, she suggested to bring it to this list in the hope to get feedback
about its validity and possibilities.
[Attachment #5 (text/html)]
Hi all,<br><br>I have an idea that I'd like to propose, related to the \
"blank slate" problem, which I feel is a serious usability concern I have \
when using KDE-based applications. This is my particular itch I'd like to \
scratch, so to say. <br><br>For a definition of the blank slate" problem, see <a \
href="http://gettingreal.37signals.com/ch09_The_Blank_Slate.php">http://gettingreal.37signals.com/ch09_The_Blank_Slate.php</a> \
and <a href="http://agateau.wordpress.com/2008/01/10/first-impression-matters/"> \
http://agateau.wordpress.com/2008/01/10/first-impression-matters/</a>. The linked \
article describes how users can get a bad first impression when reviewing a new \
application that starts with empty data. Quoting:<br><br>"Unfortunately, the \
customer decides if an application is worthy at this blank slate stage — the stage \
when there's the least amount of information, design, and content on which to \
judge the overall usefulness of the application. When you fail to design an adequate \
blank slate, people don't know what they are missing because everything is \
missing." <br><br>The problem appears when the user doesn't yet understand \
the domain model on which the application operates. An empty application only shows \
the actions available on that model - but it doesn't show what kinds of \
information it can manage. Say, if I don't understand what KWallet is for, I will \
grasp it more quickly if I see a fictional "Passwords for Grandma" profile, \
linked to the registered applications for which it's keeping passwords, that if I \
just only get the usual commands "create profile", "type \
password"... operating over empty fields. <br><br>My proposed solution is to \
include an example dataset in every KDE application by convention, as a standard \
feature. This maybe could be done by suggesting its inclusion in the Usability \
Guidelines, or by adding it in the framework a standard control (like the About menu) \
that every application should implement. This dataset should show when executing the \
application for the first time, just like Konqueror does in the start page, and would \
include a well thought out item collection displaying the most common use cases of \
the application, as well as some infrequent but important cases. <br><br>I have \
discussed this with Ellen Reitmayr of the kde-guidelines mailing list, she suggested \
to bring it to this list in the hope to get feedback about its validity and \
possibilities.<br><br>
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