Are You Experienced?
Ah! Have you ever been experienced?
Well, I have
--JH, 1967
Those who know me from my space program days know how much my professional and personal lives were entwined back then. I lived and breathed space. Working in the space program was not only challenging, engaging, and fun, but it unified my personal and professional sense and sensibility in health, the environment, and other arenas. I still have many memories and memorabilia, and art and artifacts from those days.
I've often thought how my professional and personal lives are still entwined in many ways as I am designing user interfaces and user experiences. That is, I personally tend to mold myself around others' needs and capabilities the way that I similarly design products around users. In interpersonal relationships, I am the “product”.
We can't change others; we can change only ourselves. What can we do to improve and enhance our experiences and relationships with others? How does this relate to designing software and other products around users? How much of the following do you see in others or yourself?
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, well you might find
You get what you need.
--MJ, 1969
Design involves compromise. I need to work with Engineering, Marketing and others to realize my designs. Sometimes a design with somewhat reduced usability takes significantly less time to develop, and so it is chosen over a more usable design. Sometimes usability needs to be sacrificed for business or other considerations. Usability does not always win.
How about you? Do you always need to get your way? How often do you indulge other people's preferences? How often do you compromise?
You’re talkin’ a lot, but you’re not sayin’ anything.
When I have nothing to say, my lips are sealed.
Say something once, why say it again?
--DB, CF & TW,1977
How good are your error messages? When I design user interfaces I try to guide users down a path that will help them to accomplish their goals and prevent them from doing things that they should not do. If I need to provide a message in case they do something that may not be in their best interest, I make it short, simple, and to the point. Additionally, I note not only what is wrong, but I provide information that describes how they can fix the situation.
How well do you do this? If someone extends an invitation to go to dinner, a movie, or play tennis, and it is not quite appropriate for you, do you ignore the offer, do you merely say, “No,” or do you provide alternative suggestions? How much would communication be improved if instead of merely ignoring the invitation you said something like, “I had Indian food last night, can we have Chinese food instead?” How about, “I can't play tennis at 9, how about 10?” Finally, “I already saw that movie. How about this one instead?” Think about how this communication style might improve things for you and your friends.
Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus.
--JG, 1992
In designing products, it is important to design for the particular user community. One technique is to use the user's words, not the designer's. It is also important to understand the user's needs. When I design products for technical people, I focus on productivity and use the technical jargon with which they are familiar. When I design consumer products, I make the product more engaging and use vocabulary that is understandable by a wider community.
How well do you speak to people the way that they desire? Do you use crude language when you know your audience does not like it? Do you interrupt people when you know that it bothers them? Do you speak 12th grade words to a child? Do you talk about sports when you know that they are not interested?
Roll up, roll up for the mystery tour.
Roll up, roll up for the mystery tour.
Roll up AND THAT'S AN INVITATION, roll up for the mystery tour.
Roll up TO MAKE A RESERVATION, roll up for the mystery tour.
The magical mystery tour is waiting to take you away,
Waiting to take you away.
--JWOL, JPMcC, 1967
When I design user interfaces, I take pride in the fact that users do not need to read user manuals to use the products. The products match the users' mental models based on their prior experiences. The products are consistent, dependable and not shrouded in mystery.
Can you say the same for yourself and your behavior? Are you consistent, dependable and reliable? Dependability and reliability are two key ingredients to a good user experience. They both relate to predictability and enable users to form expectations about performance and behavior. How dependable and reliable are you with your friends? Do you follow through with your promises? Do you know the difference between talking and doing? Do you call when you say you will call?
And there’s no reply at all.
There’s no reply at all.
I get the feeling you’re trying to tell me;
Is there something that I should know?
What excuse are you trying to sell me?
Should I be reading stop or go, I don’t know.
TB, PC, & MR, 1981
Users need to be kept abreast of a product's progress. So when operations take longer than one second, I provide a progress meter so users will know when they can expect a response. How does this apply to personal situations? If someone invites you to join them at a concert or elsewhere, how long do you take to reply? Do you consider that tickets may sell out if you don't reply quickly? Do you inform the inviter by when you can reply to determine if that meets with their approval?
Let me know if you see any value in these comments and suggestions.
Après moi le déluge.
--LXV, circa 1774
People keep asking me about my experience that the stock price and other aspects related to my former employers go downhill after my departure. Well, the brain drain continues at my last place d'emploi. Several other senior people left since my departure and the stock is down 12% in 3 months. Regarding the employer before that, not only is the stock down 25% in 15 months, but analysts say it is overvalued and the company continues to have losses. Conversely, the stock of my current employer is up 4%, which is pretty good considering I've been there less than ten weeks making the annualized gain double the long term average of the market.
A headhunter recently told me that my resume appears very frequently when he conducts searches for related positions and that's why I get so many contacts from potential employers. I hope that I won't need their services soon, but it's good to know that I'll have opportunities should I need them. It's also good to know that there are plenty of stocks in which to invest beyond those of my former employers. Thanks for asking; stay tuned.
Grazie for playing.
© Adam Brody All rights reserved.
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