Usability of Apple and Window products.

Just noticed something I could rant/discuss about. <^_^>

I always hear people, mostly Microsoft haters -- you know the ones that use the archaic M$ and think they are original and/or funny, complain about Office 2007's Ribbon and basically write the whole suite off as crap because of it.

Well, one day after my father asked me to help him with his iPhone, I finally realize I hated there usability. Maybe, Apple users have no problems finding what they are looking for in a few clicks instead of searching around, but when they use a Microsoft product, like Office, they might have the same difficulty and become frustrated with the product. (The same can probably be said about Linux)

I guess there is a certain expectation on where each type of user (Apple, Windows, Linux) expect to find what they want in different areas.

I bet this would be a cool study to do research on. Give a set of different users some simple tasks like changing the font type, using the thesaurus, etc.. and see where they instinctively go for their first few clicks. I would hypothesis that the majority of each group of users have different patterns. 

I will admit, my first use of the Ribbon, in Office 2007, was difficult in the beginning. Now it just makes more sense and I'm glad for the change. Rewriting someone's instinctively learned behavior is never easy at first but change in behavior is possible.

Now, I only wish it was that easy with Golf!

Learned from college

One of the first classes that I had in college was a communication's course on Usability. Being an avid computer and Internet user I would expect some concepts to be obvious, but as pointed out by the professor -- not everybody is familiar with the unwritten rules of conduct. How would someone new to the Internet know that a blue underlined text might be a link to more information. I hated that I had to make my class project ugly by putting information like this:

Click here to go back to the home page --> Home Page

The project, learning about rainbows, had a focus group for 4-6th graders. I would expect that they can pick up minor nuances quicker, because their behavioral learning is a blank slate.

Lesson Learned

• Designers - try to keep in mind of your main users, if not all of them. Never design based on your personal preferences and then expect everyone to like it.
• Haters - don't trash something because you feel like a 2 year old. Give it some time.