[LAD] User eXperience in Linux Audio

[tom at trellis.ch]

On Thu, April 23, 2015 22:59, Fons Adriaensen wrote:
> And in the case I mentioned (flight deck displays and user interfaces)
> were are talking about *specialists* in ergonomics who have conducted a not
> one but a series of studies and experiments involving a large group of
> *expert* users and costing tons of money. And the result is
> quite different. So whom do you think I should believe ?
>
> But *all* of them, without exception, seem to assume that the user
> is some ignorant nitwit, without any prior knowledge about the application
> domain and too lazy to learn, let alone read a manual or $GOD help us,
> configure the software he is trying to use. Or not actually use but just
> play around with it a bit.
>
> That type of user may and actually does exist, and that may be where
> the money (or fame) is, but it is *not* the type of user I'm writing for or
> even remotely interested in.

Hi Fons,

i mostly agree with your evaluation, especially good is the example of the
purely functional cockpit.

The only point i'd challenge is that "play around a bit" isn't useful. I
even think if developers don't do it themselves, it's absolutely necessary
that users do it. If you're too focused on stuff that should work, you
won't find out all the stuff that doesn't. And finding that out in a
non-playing around session isn't fun, so better play beforehand :)

Regards
Thomas