[IxDA Discuss] Phone numbers should be numbers

[Christine Boese]

I figure most people have different memory tricks that work for their own
strengths. For my car licence plate, because I can read backwards, I
remember what it says backward. One half is the year after my brother was
born, and the other half is the word AGE spelled backward.

I sing songs for passwords. My best passwords take a phrase from a favorite
or emblematic song, deep in, usually, and grab the first letter from each
word in the phrase, then mix in some numbers. I am incapable of typing the
password without singing in my head, however, so I can't repeat my password
to anyone (like my dad, for power of attorney stuff, for instance) without
putting my fingers out and pretending like I'm typing while I sing.

I tend to like a single field for phone numbers, but that's because I forget
where I am when moving from field to field. I also prefer no dashes on
credit card entry forms. That seems counter-intuitive, since the dashes
chunk up the number. But for me, it's the looking back and forth from the
card to screen that leads me to transpose things and screw up. A solid
number allows me to stare at the card and touch-type the numbers.
Proofreading is harder, I suppose. Examples near the field are essential for
anyone, I think, to allow us to complete the task faster (less uncertainty,
dashes, no dashes?)

To complain further, I have to say the TOTAL bane of my existence are
electronics serial numbers, teeny weeny, etched in some corner. Because you
have to move your eyes back and forth, and usually write by hand. And there
are letters and numbers, and I'm sure most people have trouble telling the
o's from the 0's. When you hit software serial numbers that can't be cut and
pasted, with some caps and some lower case, I get crazy. I mean, I have just
as much of a right to register for my software/warranties as the next
person, right?

Chris

On 11/20/06, Cinnamon Melchor <cinnamon.melchor at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> So, Chris, what strategies help you remember a phone number, or enter
> one? How about ATM PINs?
>
> I'm wondering things like:
> On a form, are three fields for phone number better (area code,
> exchange, number)?
> With or without example text in the field? Near the field?
>
> Cheers,
> Cinnamon
>
> Cinnamon Melchor
> <www.akqa.com>
>
>
>
> On 11/19/06, Christine Boese <christine.boese at gmail.com> wrote:
> > I HATE telephone numbers with words and letters.
> >
> > I should qualify that. I hate telephone numbers too. As in, I still
> can't
> > remember my own landline number, which I've had nearly a year.
> >
> > I should qualify both of those things. I'm a compensating, functional
> > dyslexic. ...IxD people will design for all kinds of disabilities, but
> nobody
> > wants to make life easier for those whose eyeballs scramble letters and
> > numbers.
>



-- 
christine boese
www.serendipit-e.com