This content originally appeared on NN/g latest articles and announcements and was authored by Kathryn Whitenton
Summary: A good design relies on a thorough task analysis of the steps required to complete a task, as well as determining what information users need at each step.
I recently started using a new piece of software for tracking expenses. I was excited to try it and, at first glance, it looked like it could be a great solution. Unfortunately, it quickly became apparent that, although the visual design was fine, the experience of interacting with the system was painfully difficult.
It’s not because of bugs or immediately obvious usability issues, such as poorly labeled navigation menus or misuse of icons . This piece of software is a great (terrible) example of how it’s possible to ‘check all the boxes’ and build all specified features, but still end up with a bad result that is frustrating to use.
When Is Just as Important as What
For interactive software for complex tasks, including all the necessary information and features is not good enough; it’s also essential to pay attention to the sequence of steps and organization of the available features . Poorly organized systems force users to repeatedly stop what they are doing, and hunt around for the functions or data needed to complete a task. The resulting experience feels like a constant string of interruptions , rather than progress towards a goal.
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This content originally appeared on NN/g latest articles and announcements and was authored by Kathryn Whitenton
Kathryn Whitenton | Sciencx (2021-07-04T16:00:00+00:00) Feature Checklists Are Not Enough: How to Avoid Making Bad Software. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2021/07/04/feature-checklists-are-not-enough-how-to-avoid-making-bad-software/
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