[Sigia-l] 'Process+Tools+Guidelines' to do the right thing!

[Dr. Marios Pittas]

Rai

> I am in the middle of discussion with Engineering team at my new employer

At no one point allow it to become usability team vs software development
team. When that happens it is a 6 x loose situation:
	1. loose (usability engineers - they want a successful product)
	2. loose (developers - they also want to see a successful product)
	3. loose (product - it could have been a successful product)
	4. loose (organisation - lost opportunities)
	5. loose (stakeholders - lost opportunities).
	6. loose (end users get something that could have been better)

> 2. What tools we use to prototype/wireframing the concept? There's
> argument between majority Frontpage loyalists (Techies) Vs. Dreamweaver
> supporters.

? Use pen and paper.. prototyping and wireframing are very good to have
(some say must have).. although the tool can have an effect on the number of
iterations, willingness to change, willingness to test various designs at
;east you are at step 1, people are willing to do a prototype.. very good..
if you are there for the long term let them/use whatever they give you..
evaluate as you go along and try to bring them in the process as much as
possible so that they can see the benefits..

> 3. Should we write 'standards' first or do the 'design' first?

Of course you need to write the standards first.. but can you? is not always
possible.. maybe the technology they are using will impose constraints that
you are not aware.. have a look at "The Usability Engineering Lifecycle" by
Mayhew.. she covers this (as well as other topics) extremely well.. if you
cannot create the standards because of technology issues, one good strategy
is to work closely with the developers on one part of the application and
create standards based on that work.. that way developers understand that
they had a part to play (AND THEY DO).. so it becomes "OUR" standards vs
"YOUR" standards.. very important..

> 2. What benefit can it give to any one to limit 'Prototyping' (or the
> Design) with tool?

Read: Schrage, M. (1996). Cultures of Prototyping. In Winograd, T. (Ed.),
Bringing Design to Software (pp. 191-205). Addison Wesley.

> 3. Is there any survey/pool, any logic to suggest which one is
> better/ethical/moral tool - 'Microsoft FrontPage' and 'Macromedia
> Dreamweaver'???

? Amusing case of "MY" tool is better than "YOUR"s.. :) No issue that there
are differences between tools.. but isn't the product/usability/end
users/organisation/ etc more important than which tool.. try to get the
technique in the development process, maybe cover deficiencies of the tool
through hard work (so that usability can "gain value" in the eyes of the
developers) and next round suggest that some of the work is done with
another tool that does not suffer from some of the observed deficiencies..

>From the same book "Bringing Design to Software", also read Don Norman's
account of tackling the Mac shut down button.. taken from his time when he
was director of user experience in Apple.. Not all simple problems have
simple solutions.. sometimes you need to compromise, sometimes you need to
let go of the issue..

Marios

-----Original Message-----
From: sigia-l-admin at asis.org [mailto:sigia-l-admin at asis.org]On Behalf Of
prai at prady.com
Sent: Friday, July 18, 2003 12:15 AM
To: sigia-l at asis.org
Subject: [Sigia-l] 'Process+Tools+Guidelines' to do the right thing!


I am in the middle of discussion with Engineering team at my new employer
and the issue is arround following -

1. What UI processes we follow within the frame work of RUP?
2. What tools we use to prototype/wireframing the concept? There's
aggument between majority Frontpage loyalists (Techies) Vs. Dreamweaver
supporters.
3. Should we write 'standards' first or do the 'design' first?

I am also wondering on following lines -

1. Why does 'UI design' has to follow RUP at all?
(Why going Rational way, and not following UCD's recomendations?)
I am leaning to be sympathetic about the view point expressed in the
article "UI RUPture" follow this link -
http://www.uidesign.net/2000/opinion/UIRupture.html

2. What benefit can it give to any one to limit 'Prototyping' (or the
Design) with tool?

3. Is there any survey/pool, any logic to suggest which one is
better/ethical/moral tool - 'Microsoft FrontPage' and 'Macromedia
Dreamweaver'???

Any discussion on the above points, suggestions, links, papers, etc. will
be highly appreciated. I

am facing an uphill task to build case for Usability in a startup, where
Techie's dance on RUP's tune.

Thanks in advance.

Pradyot Rai


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