Comments on: Why The NYT Usability Article Was a Good Thing http://www.webword.com/wp/2007/07/12/why-the-nyt-usability-article-was-a-good-thing/ The usability blog of John S. Rhodes Sat, 05 Jul 2008 04:55:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: John Rhodes http://www.webword.com/wp/2007/07/12/why-the-nyt-usability-article-was-a-good-thing/#comment-107989 Fri, 13 Jul 2007 04:18:58 +0000 http://www.webword.com/wp/2007/07/12/why-the-nyt-usability-article-was-a-good-thing/#comment-107989 Joshua and Dr. Pete: Great comments. The audience of the NYT will now have a better idea about usability which is really a good thing. I try to keep in mind that readers won't remember much about the article, maybe 1-2 vague points. We're not trying to reach our smart, focused usability peers via the NYT. ~ John p.s. I really do like some of Matthew's comments, for what that's worth. It's important to know what's going on out in the wild. He did a much better job than I could, pointing out the flaws of the article. Joshua and Dr. Pete:

Great comments.

The audience of the NYT will now have a better idea about usability which is really a good thing. I try to keep in mind that readers won’t remember much about the article, maybe 1-2 vague points. We’re not trying to reach our smart, focused usability peers via the NYT.

~ John

p.s. I really do like some of Matthew’s comments, for what that’s worth. It’s important to know what’s going on out in the wild. He did a much better job than I could, pointing out the flaws of the article.

]]> by: Dr. Pete http://www.webword.com/wp/2007/07/12/why-the-nyt-usability-article-was-a-good-thing/#comment-107883 Thu, 12 Jul 2007 20:59:06 +0000 http://www.webword.com/wp/2007/07/12/why-the-nyt-usability-article-was-a-good-thing/#comment-107883 I also view it as a positive. Why are we so glass-half-empty in the usability world? I think we're still struggling with the problem of too often being the people who have to come in at the end of a project and say, to put it bluntly: "here's why what you did sucks". Unfortunately, this has a way of making us a bit unpopular, and as a result, we've become more and more defensive. The answer isn't to hide our heads in the proverbial sand and lash out at anyone who doesn't represent us 100% accurately in a completely positive light. The answer it to move our expertise and efforts up the production cycle, providing input when it can really make a difference and helping people in other disciplines do their jobs more effectively. I also view it as a positive. Why are we so glass-half-empty in the usability world? I think we’re still struggling with the problem of too often being the people who have to come in at the end of a project and say, to put it bluntly: “here’s why what you did sucks”. Unfortunately, this has a way of making us a bit unpopular, and as a result, we’ve become more and more defensive.

The answer isn’t to hide our heads in the proverbial sand and lash out at anyone who doesn’t represent us 100% accurately in a completely positive light. The answer it to move our expertise and efforts up the production cycle, providing input when it can really make a difference and helping people in other disciplines do their jobs more effectively.

]]> by: Joshua Ledwell http://www.webword.com/wp/2007/07/12/why-the-nyt-usability-article-was-a-good-thing/#comment-107872 Thu, 12 Jul 2007 20:30:53 +0000 http://www.webword.com/wp/2007/07/12/why-the-nyt-usability-article-was-a-good-thing/#comment-107872 I agree that the NYT article was A Good Thing. Big picture perspective is needed here. Given the general audience reading the NYT, many aren't even aware of the difference between a designer and a marketer, or a software engineer versus a network administrator. They don't know what search engine optimization is. The readership needs a very general intro to usability, and the details are not critical. I don't care if the article gave short shrift to the history of human-computer interaction or cognitive psychology. Like you said, it's about awareness. I agree that the NYT article was A Good Thing. Big picture perspective is needed here. Given the general audience reading the NYT, many aren’t even aware of the difference between a designer and a marketer, or a software engineer versus a network administrator. They don’t know what search engine optimization is.

The readership needs a very general intro to usability, and the details are not critical. I don’t care if the article gave short shrift to the history of human-computer interaction or cognitive psychology. Like you said, it’s about awareness.

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