SPAM-LOW: Re: [thelist] User perception

Scott Dexter dexilalolai at yahoo.com
Mon Nov 15 13:51:53 CST 2004


> the middle of the page) and users can find it otherwise.  Usability
> is a fascinating study, since half the time it requires a
Psychology
> degree to do it right :)

This really shouldn't be /that/ big a surprise. UI design, Usability,
Accessibility, these could all fall under Industrial Organization, a
division of Psychology concerned with the workplace. I'll second the
mention of "Design of Everyday Things[1]," it's a very good book and
not too dry. I knew I had a winner when I read the author's
explination of naming the book. ;)

I've learned a couple things from the book and my years of web
application building (and this industry as a whole): 1) The things
ridiculously obvious to you can be another's Ephiphany, and 2) Living
with something (your work) skews perspective. Want a reality check?
Have a non-technical person look at something you've designed (the
basis of usability testing). Without any instruction from you.
Terribly cathartic, insightful, and soul-bearing.

babble babble babble. Sorry, not a whole lot of sleep the past few
days.



[1] A good lengthy Amazon link: 
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0465067107/qid=1100548258/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/104-3110257-8313522?v=glance&s=books&n=507846



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