Yes, they are likely to be forgotten when days are busy.
Not new, but good to read it again.
- Focus on the Primary Task
- Elevate the Content that People Care About
- Think Top Down
- Give People a Logical Path to Follow
- Make Usage Easy and Obvious
- Use User-Centric Terminology
- Minimize the Effort Required for User Input
- Downplay File-Handling…
(Source: developer.apple.com)
Usability rule #8: Do not place negative button right next to other (frequently clicked) buttons
I’m looking at you, Tumblr.
That applies ANY project. Great tip!
Don’t spend too much time for planning your study!
Sometimes do first improve next works much better.
Your plan will never be perfect - it just needs to be good enough to point you in the right direction and should continually evolve.
Hey hey, this Human Centered Design toolkit looks really slick and useful.
I think I should try it.
You can download this toolkit from here.
http://www.ideo.com/work/human-centered-design-toolkit
Additional note: Yes, this is MUST read for those who do ethnographic/anthropological qualitative research.
Thanks, IDEO and utilitarianthings!
“For years, businesses have used human-centered design to develop innovative solutions. Why not apply the same approach to overcome challenges in the nonprofit world?
The HCD Toolkit was designed specifically for NGOs and social enterprises that work with impoverished communities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The free kit, available for download here, walks users through the human-centered design process and supports them in activities such as building listening skills, running workshops, and implementing ideas. The process has led to innovations such as the HeartStart defibrillator, CleanWell natural antibacterial products, and the Blood Donor System for the Red Cross—all of which have enhanced the lives of millions of people.”
What the…. it’s something really new….
In fact, there are disabled people who plays piano with their own tongue, so I think it is not too crazy as it seems.
Thanks joshbyard!
Researchers Develop Interface for Paralyzed to Control Machines With Their Tongues:
A group of engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have created a way to control… just about anything (but most likely, things like wheelchairs) with a combination of a magnetic tongue piercing and a paired retainer.
The user would press the tongue piercing against different parts of the retainer to send signals.
…The system is called the Tongue Drive, and it relies on a waterproof retainer on the roof of the mouth containing a Li-ion battery, induction coil for charging, and and several magnetic contact points to detect the position of the tongue-mounted magnet. It’ll then beam the signal wirelessly to a mobile device—iOS devices like the iPhone and iPod Touch are mentioned—and the mobile device shoots those commands over to whichever device is meant to be controlled.
(via Steer Your Wheelchair With Your Computerized Tongue Piercing | Popular Science)
Touch gestures on WIndows 8 and its usability issues
Here is one very good article about new Windows 8 UI, metro, from Windows developer group themselves. You can see neat breakdown of touch gestures in Windows 8 and potential issues.
Must read if you are interaction designer that involves touch gesture stuff.
Via: MSDN Blogs
Symantec did a very interesting social experiment. They left behind fifty smartphones on random sites in a city, and tracked the log how these smartphones were used by people who picked them up.
The result indicates 96% of people tried to access your personal information, 89% accessed personal app, 83% accessed business related app or files, and only 50% tried to return these phones to original owner even there was owner info.
Symantec suggested to have three things to avoid compromise:
1. Set password on your phone
2. Have app that can erase all data remotely
3. Install app that can remotely find the current coordinate of your phone
Augmented reality helps workers to figure out how to repair things, in the most intuitive way
People in Colombia university is making augmented reality implemented guide system for workers in military. With AR technology, potentially, even total amateurs can repair cars or even tanks.
I think I need one for my mom.
It’s not the SF story, but what if all the cars in the world are completely automated? Anyway, watch this video.
Human Factors experts know that automation can help people, but too much automation can cause boredom, confusion, frustration, and ultimately accidents. However, what if your vehicle is completely automated? Well, all cars in the world are automated, the story would be much different, I guess. And fully automated car is actually in a practice phase already.
AI cars that they tested look really intelligent and stable. You will be surprised the fact that the technology is advanced this far.
