Interacting with interfaces is complex, and often poorly designed. Most times,
- The tasks are implicit and complex: the machine doesn’t “know” the user’s end goal
- Interaction is unpredictable and complex: coordination between human and machine is complicated, usage can be unexpected and evolved, users can change their minds
Interfaces
- Functionality Problem: what are the functions this object can perform? Will it do what I want?
- Visibility Problem: what mode is this object in? What sequence of controls do I use to get what I want?
- Negative Transfer: what would happen if I do what I usually do?
Designers
Can fail to
- understand the range of users and their limitations
- understand contexts of use
- communicate what it does, how it works/worked, etc.
- start with basic usability needs, and might try to make it exciting or beautiful first
Market Pressures
User’s don’t always make good purchase choices
- Adding new functionality is relatively easy and cheap whereas adding effective controls/feedback is expensive and costly for time and space
- Designer time is expensive
- Some consumers value cost or looks over usability