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Computers Stink, Part 1
An investigation of a new computer user's experience
Over the past month, I have had a great learning experience. We purchased a computer for my grandparents who are both 85. I recommended an e-Mac since they are affordable and Mac OS X has nice large graphics that are easy to see and click. Apple's are generally accepted to be the choice if you are looking for ease of use. Here are some of the things I have learned:
1. The Apple infrared, clear plastic mouse is near unusable. My grandparents who have perfect motor control frequently drag items around the screen by accident since they click when they don't mean to.
2. People do not understand the concept of click versus double click. I have observed this in my office users as well. Most people double click everything. Web links, tool bar buttons, buttons on web pages. While there is some standardization (you always single click a button and double click a folder in your hard drive), people do not understand the contexts of a system well enough to know when to click and when to double click.
3. File, Folder, Hard Drive, Icon? What the HELL are you talking about? The desktop metaphor no longer works. People can be trained to understand files and folders, but they are lost on the original concepts. The Finder for instance is pointless to a user who only wants email, web browsing and work processing. Why would users want to look at all files first, then go into email, web or Word Processor. Users think in terms of what they want to do, not items that may or may not exist on the disk.
4. Email programs suck. Inbox, Outbox, Sent Mail, Deleted Mail. There are too many options. Like an old boss used to say, "Where's the banana?" My grandparents don't care what they wrote two months ago. Seeing mail they wrote back then only confuses them. Apple's Mail program only let's a user know if there is a problem with an email going out. It does not suggest any resolution. Even something as simple as the phone tells you "Check you number and dial again" if you dial a non-existent number.
Next I'll write how I think these issues can be solved.
  
© Copyright
2007
Mike Rogers. |