[Sigia-l] DHTML Menus and Usability

[David Heller]

>> Just because it is dominant, do we have to perpetuate the initial
sin?

Yes! We do b/c it isn't just a matter of good or bad or right or wrong
it is a matter of user expectations. Putting something easier to use in
front of a user that they don't expect is a HUGE marketing disaster.
Remember, we are here to SELL! Customers want single UX's. Lets face it
Beta was better than VHS. VHS won not b/c of quality but b/c of
services. This is similar to why MS wins. It has a unified UI w/ its OS,
users expect everything running on their desktop to act like its OS.
That's why there are GUI standards for non-web apps. 

Can we push this glass ceiling? Sure. I can also quit my job and start a
high end consulting company and plan to be broke in a month. ;-)

Now, lets take this back to the web for a minute and I'm going to
contradict myself and say why web apps need to find new metaphors and
paradigms for web-based applications. They are IN an application
already. Myself include often go to the "file" menu of IE instead of to
the "File" menu in my own app by mistake. This is the big failing of
web-based apps that try to mimic desktop apps too closely. It is an app
in an app already.

-- Dave

David Heller
Sr. User Interface Designer
Documentum: The Leader in Enterprise Content Management
925.600.5636
 
david.heller at documentum.com
http://www.documentum.com/
AIM: bolinhanyc  //  Yahoo: dave_ux  //  MSN: hippiefunk at hotmail.com
 
--"If it isn't useful, it will never be usable."