Comments on: Good interfaces create good habits http://www.azarask.in/blog/post/good-interfaces-create-good-habits/ -- aza | ɐzɐ -- Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:48:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Claudio Vandi http://www.azarask.in/blog/post/good-interfaces-create-good-habits/#comment-4847 Claudio Vandi Fri, 13 Mar 2009 23:15:45 +0000 http://www.azarask.in/blog/?p=391#comment-4847 Love this topic, I am actually beginning a Phd on emergence, transfert and integration of habits in Interfaces. A first -now very old- series of good/bad habits between Mac/Win is here: http://www.uiah.fi/sefun/designsemioticsinuse.html (middle of the page: Claudio Vandi). I find here many examples I had been noting in a file named "bad habits" :) (like Win “smart” menus). I am actually developing a bad habit about Ubiquity: I love the "add to calendar" command, but since I don't have a visual feedback (like some sort of preview) I always feel the need to go and check on my actual gCalendar. So the add-to and the url-typing are becoming the same action, even if nothing force me to do so. Love this topic, I am actually beginning a Phd on emergence, transfert and integration of habits in Interfaces. A first -now very old- series of good/bad habits between Mac/Win is here: http://www.uiah.fi/sefun/designsemioticsinuse.html (middle of the page: Claudio Vandi). I find here many examples I had been noting in a file named “bad habits” :) (like Win “smart” menus).
I am actually developing a bad habit about Ubiquity: I love the “add to calendar” command, but since I don’t have a visual feedback (like some sort of preview) I always feel the need to go and check on my actual gCalendar. So the add-to and the url-typing are becoming the same action, even if nothing force me to do so.

]]> By: ian http://www.azarask.in/blog/post/good-interfaces-create-good-habits/#comment-4832 ian Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:47:34 +0000 http://www.azarask.in/blog/?p=391#comment-4832 all volume controls except the ones with knobs. Sound is inherently analogue, but people insist in digitizing sound controls. Creating levels from 1-10 that make it very difficult to find the right level. all volume controls except the ones with knobs.

Sound is inherently analogue, but people insist in digitizing sound controls. Creating levels from 1-10 that make it very difficult to find the right level.

]]> By: Juan Perez http://www.azarask.in/blog/post/good-interfaces-create-good-habits/#comment-4274 Juan Perez Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:42:57 +0000 http://www.azarask.in/blog/?p=391#comment-4274 Personally I get very irritated using shortcuts on Spanish versions of some products that I'm very habituated to. Say, MS-Word ( but applies to a LOT LOT others ) Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V are universally implemented, thank god. They the example of good shortcuts ( what's V stands for in english anyway? Vaste? :P ) When commands like Bold, Italics, Underline, Search etc gets "translated" a nightmare begins. For instance. If you're writing something and want to bold a word, you select it and press Ctrl-B and your selection appears in bold, what happens in my localized version is the Search Box pops up ( B after "Buscar" ) and you suddenly lost your train of though. Then after 0.8 secs, you realize N will do ( ok then you type Ctrl-N: sigh!) Minutes after you press Ctrl-I and nothing happens after loosing again the tot you realized Ctrl-K is the equivalent arrgg!!!!. And then again, your inspiration is gone. And this repeats over and over for several shortcuts that took you some months ( or years ) in learning. What I usually do is either get the english version or at install configure to use english. But sadly most of the times I have to "re-learn" the new ones. Same thing happened to me at first ( some 8 yrs ago ) with computers keyboards. At first, it was very hard to get a Latin layout, but nobody care, we all get use to the US layout. When new machines arrived all the essentials sings change its positions ( / \ ¡?=)_ all of them. It was a pain to learn them again. Funny anectode. Yesterday I was document editing in the web ( I don't remember if it was @blogspot or Google docs ) and whenever I attempted to "bold" a word, my newly created habit typed Ctrl-N a new browser window appeared!!!! The good thing, is our brain is capable to learn new things always. Personally I get very irritated using shortcuts on Spanish versions of some products that I’m very habituated to.

Say, MS-Word ( but applies to a LOT LOT others )

Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V are universally implemented, thank god. They the example of good shortcuts ( what’s V stands for in english anyway? Vaste? :P )

When commands like Bold, Italics, Underline, Search etc gets “translated” a nightmare begins.

For instance. If you’re writing something and want to bold a word, you select it and press Ctrl-B and your selection appears in bold, what happens in my localized version is the Search Box pops up ( B after “Buscar” ) and you suddenly lost your train of though.

Then after 0.8 secs, you realize N will do ( ok then you type Ctrl-N: sigh!)

Minutes after you press Ctrl-I and nothing happens after loosing again the tot you realized Ctrl-K is the equivalent arrgg!!!!. And then again, your inspiration is gone.

And this repeats over and over for several shortcuts that took you some months ( or years ) in learning.

What I usually do is either get the english version or at install configure to use english. But sadly most of the times I have to “re-learn” the new ones.

Same thing happened to me at first ( some 8 yrs ago ) with computers keyboards.

At first, it was very hard to get a Latin layout, but nobody care, we all get use to the US layout. When new machines arrived all the essentials sings change its positions ( / \ ¡?=)_ all of them.

It was a pain to learn them again.

Funny anectode. Yesterday I was document editing in the web ( I don’t remember if it was @blogspot or Google docs ) and whenever I attempted to “bold” a word, my newly created habit typed Ctrl-N a new browser window appeared!!!!

The good thing, is our brain is capable to learn new things always.

]]> By: Wolf http://www.azarask.in/blog/post/good-interfaces-create-good-habits/#comment-4273 Wolf Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:17:10 +0000 http://www.azarask.in/blog/?p=391#comment-4273 In EA's "Skate" for Xbox 360, the default chosen option when you open up the game is "Create a new skater" (the second option is "Continue"). (Almost) every other game lets you hit the accept button a few times and you can continue, this one sets you up for failure, In EA’s “Skate” for Xbox 360, the default chosen option when you open up the game is “Create a new skater” (the second option is “Continue”).

(Almost) every other game lets you hit the accept button a few times and you can continue, this one sets you up for failure,

]]> By: the DtTvB http://www.azarask.in/blog/post/good-interfaces-create-good-habits/#comment-4179 the DtTvB Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:11:15 +0000 http://www.azarask.in/blog/?p=391#comment-4179 It usually confuse me when I see this dialog: " Are you sure you want to navigate away from this page? Your message has not been sent. Press OK to continue, or Cancel to stay on the current page. " OK / Cancel On Gmail, if you are composing something and go to inbox. " Discard your message? " OK / Cancel I think that Yes / No question would be better. This dialog also confuse me a lot, I don't know if I should look at the icon or read the button label: http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj30/dttvb/DEL.png It reminds me of the "Stroop Effect", where you have to read the color not the word. I am also confused by Vista's replace file dialog: " Choose which one to keep " It usually confuse me when I see this dialog:

” Are you sure you want to navigate away from this page?
Your message has not been sent.
Press OK to continue, or Cancel to stay on the current page. ”

OK / Cancel

On Gmail, if you are composing something and go to inbox.

” Discard your message? ”

OK / Cancel

I think that Yes / No question would be better.

This dialog also confuse me a lot, I don’t know if I should look at the icon or read the button label:

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj30/dttvb/DEL.png

It reminds me of the “Stroop Effect”, where you have to read the color not the word.

I am also confused by Vista’s replace file dialog:

” Choose which one to keep “

]]> By: Neil Rashbrook http://www.azarask.in/blog/post/good-interfaces-create-good-habits/#comment-4176 Neil Rashbrook Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:18:57 +0000 http://www.azarask.in/blog/?p=391#comment-4176 IIRC Vista "fixed" the renaming "bug" - renaming now doesn't select the extension. IIRC Vista “fixed” the renaming “bug” - renaming now doesn’t select the extension.

]]> By: Nathan http://www.azarask.in/blog/post/good-interfaces-create-good-habits/#comment-4163 Nathan Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:27:50 +0000 http://www.azarask.in/blog/?p=391#comment-4163 Oops, I meant Command+Tab and Command+` (Windows verbiage crept in there; fortunately for this functionality, Command on Mac keyboards is in the same place as Alt is on Windows keyboards). Oops, I meant Command+Tab and Command+` (Windows verbiage crept in there; fortunately for this functionality, Command on Mac keyboards is in the same place as Alt is on Windows keyboards).

]]> By: Nathan http://www.azarask.in/blog/post/good-interfaces-create-good-habits/#comment-4162 Nathan Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:25:09 +0000 http://www.azarask.in/blog/?p=391#comment-4162 On Mac OS, I find the distinction between Alt+Tab and Alt+` jarring (the first switches between apps, the second between windows of the current app). Thanks to Firefox and other tabbed apps, when I use multiple windows in an app, I usually do so because the content is sufficiently distinct--thus my mental focus is on switching between types of content, not necessarily applications. That I am forced to think about which shortcut to use in switching represents, in my opinion, a failure of the window metaphor. On Mac OS, I find the distinction between Alt+Tab and Alt+` jarring (the first switches between apps, the second between windows of the current app). Thanks to Firefox and other tabbed apps, when I use multiple windows in an app, I usually do so because the content is sufficiently distinct–thus my mental focus is on switching between types of content, not necessarily applications. That I am forced to think about which shortcut to use in switching represents, in my opinion, a failure of the window metaphor.

]]> By: Simon http://www.azarask.in/blog/post/good-interfaces-create-good-habits/#comment-4156 Simon Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:36:09 +0000 http://www.azarask.in/blog/?p=391#comment-4156 I can think of one from Firefox for you. I normally run with a single window open, with a bunch of tabs - when I want to quit, I close the window, safe in the knowledge that when I start up again, it will remember what I had open. Unless, for some reason, I had another window open. At which point the first window is closed without saving it's state, something I only discover once I realise there's a second window. I don't make that mistake often, but it's real nuisance when I do. I can think of one from Firefox for you. I normally run with a single window open, with a bunch of tabs - when I want to quit, I close the window, safe in the knowledge that when I start up again, it will remember what I had open.

Unless, for some reason, I had another window open. At which point the first window is closed without saving it’s state, something I only discover once I realise there’s a second window. I don’t make that mistake often, but it’s real nuisance when I do.

]]> By: Zacqary Adam Green http://www.azarask.in/blog/post/good-interfaces-create-good-habits/#comment-4154 Zacqary Adam Green Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:43:38 +0000 http://www.azarask.in/blog/?p=391#comment-4154 ZBrush has the worst implementation of Undo I have ever seen. You can undo the creation of an entire object, but you can't undo changes you make to it while editing. Yes, maybe it's different, maybe it makes sense for the paradigm, maybe I just have to get used to it, but isn't Undo the kind of thing that should be fairly standardized? It certainly defies the claim of an almost non-existent learning curve, and definitely doesn't make me want to pay after my trial runs out. Or use the trial again. ZBrush has the worst implementation of Undo I have ever seen. You can undo the creation of an entire object, but you can’t undo changes you make to it while editing. Yes, maybe it’s different, maybe it makes sense for the paradigm, maybe I just have to get used to it, but isn’t Undo the kind of thing that should be fairly standardized? It certainly defies the claim of an almost non-existent learning curve, and definitely doesn’t make me want to pay after my trial runs out. Or use the trial again.

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