Re: QA and Usability Testing

[David Girardot <dmgirard -at- CORNETLTD -dot- COM>]

I agree with Diane's point, too.  I think that, as a technical writer, it's
very important to become involved in design from the earliest stages.
That's when you have the oppurtunity to make the most positive impact on the
user interface while causing the least amount of "pain" to the developers.
A change to a paper prototype is much easier than when the program is
fully-coded.

However, in relation to Michael's comment about VCRs I can't help thinking
that part of the problem is that Madison avenue has sold the public on
digital technology (VCRS, computers, and such) and really glossed over all
of the complexity that goes along with it.  As a result, I think there is a
tendency to assume that things "should be easier than they are."  I'm not
saying you need a degree in robotics to program your VCR, but you should be
patient and be willing to follow several simple functions.

Another part of the problem, IMHO, is that "design" rarely has much to do
with user-interface design, at least in regards to making sure the program
works well and easily for the people who're going to be using it.  Why are
VCRs difficult to program?  Because a VCR is designed to allow you to play
videotapes and record programs.  It's only now with the Nth generations that
we see some attention to interface design.  One irritating aspect of the new
designs is the all-or-nothing approach.  It's rare that a product with a new
whizz-bang, super-easy user-interface will also have something for the
expert users -- a way of turning off the bells and dancing paperclips.

There's clearly some kind of effort to revamp the average user-interface of
computers (see: Macintosh); unfortunately I think the industry may be
stifling a little given that at least right now, a few companies control the
direction of the industry.   I just hope for two things:  1) Interface
improvements are driven by data, not by supposition.  2) Interface
improvements do not subsume the nuts-and-bolts interfaces preferred by most
expert users.

-- David

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Lewis <lewism -at- BRANDLE -dot- COM -dot- AU>
To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU <TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU>
Date: Tuesday, January 13, 1998 6:23 PM
Subject: Re: QA and Usability Testing


>Burke, Diane wrote:
>>
>> The input of technical writers, who are often the first users of a
>> software product, can be invaluable in usability testing.
>>
>> ... This presents a very good argument for including
>> documentation at the beginning of the design process rather than at the
>> end.
>
>Absolutely. I've been saying for years that VCR control panels would be
>very different if user documentation experts had been involved at the
>product design stage. Unfortunately, though, both the product designer
>and the user expect the documentation to solve the design problem. Who
>do users blame for their difficulty in programming their VCRs? The
>writers, not the designers! 'Tain't out fault, but we wear it.
>--
>Michael Lewis
>Brandle Pty Limited, Sydney, Australia
>PO Box 1249, Strawberry Hills, NSW 2012
>Tel +61-2-9310-2224 ... Fax +61-2-9310-5056
>
>
>
>