[Sigia-l] Can UI designers kill people?

[Jonas Söderström]

>You're right, more capable BUT more complex.

You're right - but what I've also seen a lot of recently, are systems that are NOT more capable - only more confusing and complex. At least for several classes of users.

I don't work in the airplane construction industry or with plant automation.
But I see lot of administrative systems now being redesigned for web, with rather scaring results. (This is an interesting theme for another post.)

But other systems, too. Just one example: Two of my friends just gave up on digital television (marketed in Sweden for some time now). The reason? Changing channels requires browsing and clicking through four menus - one of them showing all programs they *don't* subscribe too.

No new capabilities there - just a previously perfectly simple task, now several times more complex and time-consuming. (Extra bonus: the TV now also crashes and freezes - that happens when you're impatient and press the buttons on the remote too fast - from the machine's point of view, that is!) So they returned their digital set-top boxes.  (Well, actually there was one advantage with the new system - the picture *was* clearer. But both decided it wasn't worth it.)

Now,  of course, these are all interface and interaction problems; so they can be corrected. They probably will. Sometime. But I'm still baffled (after all these years) why the h. they didn't do it right in the first place. (And when those things are corrected in a new version, bet your good health that new features have been introduced at the same time - with similar shortcomings.)

Pardon me for preaching to the already convinced. I'll get back with a post on administrative systems.

All the best,

Jonas

(Interesting to read about leaving parts of a task out of the automatic system, BTW. Thanks.)


-- 

Jonas Söderström
senior information architect
Sweden

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For the lesson lies in learning and by teaching I'll be taught
for there's nothing hidden anywhere, it's all there to be sought
					- Keith Reid
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