[Sigia-l] Simplicity

[Will Parker]

On Mar 12, 2007, at 7:26 AM, David Malouf wrote:

> Also, we can't talk about "simplicity" without acknowledging that
> "simple" is a POV. How many times have we called up Tech Support to be
> told, "Do X, Do Y, Go back to X to change Z, click save, Go back to Y
> and select 1-4, Click Apply, and go back and double-click A ...
> Simple!"

All tech support facilities, no matter where they are apparently  
located, are actually located in a dingy warren of cubbyholes on the  
west side of the Eighth Circle of Hell, reserved for liars. The only  
way to escape from that Hell is to stop using the word 'simple' when  
talking with customers. I know -- I spent 12 years there.

In my case, I decided that the best strategy for tech support was to  
teach the customer the mental model we used to map our responses to  
tech support questions SO THEY WOULDN'T BLEEDIN' CALL ANY MORE. And  
once I was good enough at that, they did, because I had a different job.

> This might be a good time to look at Jorge's B&A article for this week
> about "Deep Context".

Forgive a relative newbie, but can you provide a bit more detail  
there? Who's Jorge? What's 'B&A'? The article title sounds  
interesting. (Oh -- I underestimated Google. Jorge Arango, Boxes and  
Arrows (of course), http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/deep-context.)

Simple.

- Will

Will Parker
wparker at ChannelingDesign.com

"The only people who value your specialist knowledge are the ones who  
already have it." - William Tozier