[IxDA Discuss] How far have we come?

[Chris McLay]

Robert Reimann wrote:

> To play devil's advocate to the "how far have we really come?"
> question the way it was stated: automobiles have had steering wheels
> and foot brakes for at least 100 years. Does that mean the UI of
> automobiles is somehow insufficient or antiquated? 20 years of keeping
> the mouse and keyboard tells me that these are mature input
> technologies that probably do the job well enough for most tasks
> involving computers.

In many ways I agree with this, we are a long way from replacing the  
keyboard in terms of the technology of this kind of input. Simple  
pointing devices have more flexibility, but I doubt the tech will  
change hugely. These are technological changes though, not changes in  
core interaction.


> I'm far more interested in where we have come in understanding our
> users, and how we have used that knowledge to improve the behavior and
> overall usefulness and desirability of products and systems. Answering
> that question usually has little to do with input or output
> mechanisms, and everything to do with what behaviors the product has,
> and whether these and the information presented to the users match
> their mental models, expectations, and desires.

Even here I think we haven't moved far in actual application. There  
are good examples, and some better theories, but I'm not sure how far  
we've come.

Going back to an Apple Mac example. I've read the Apple Human  
Interface Guidelines for over almost 15 years, and the key concepts  
have not changed. Specifics have as technology has advanced - use of  
colour is a good example. In many ways it seems like we've just been  
trying to catch up and emulate what the Mac did in 1984, and bring  
everything else up to scratch.

This worries me.

It makes me wonder if interaction design can change this. I think it  
has the potential to. I wonder if it can. I wonder how we make sure  
it can.

-- 
Chris McLay ...// interaction & visual designer

Email chris at eeoh.com.au
Web http://www.eeoh.com.au/chris/