Re: Default Template discussion

Janne Jalkanen wrote:
>> One of the things I brought up early in the discussion was that in
>> normal user surveys it takes something like a test population of
>> over 400 people to gain enough statistical weight to make reasonable
>> predictions about people's preferences. When the test group is small,
> 
> This is incorrect.  In a way.  We're not interested in user preferences, 
> simply because people have different preferences.

Perhaps I used the wrong terminology. What I was trying to express
is that statistically speaking, if you've got less than 435 people
it's not considered a statistically valid sample, and that after
435 the value of the additional people goes down. Most surveys done
by survey organizations don't need to go much beyond 435 unless
they're trying to cover large disparate populations (like in the US).

> (I highly recommend watching Malcolm Gladwell's talk on "What every 
> business can learn from spaghetti sauce" 
> http://tedblog.typepad.com/tedblog/2006/09/malcolm_gladwel.html)
> 
> Anyway, what small groups do to you is that they allow you to find 
> glitches.  Things that make no sense.  Things that are difficult.

I have no argument with that. But unless those small groups are
very typical of the target audience they will be less likely to
find the glitches, that are nonsensical or difficult than would
the larger population.

> We don't have to care about user preferences, we have to care about 
> usability.  If you see what I mean :-).  Many programs have no 
> preferences as to how they look and behave, but they are still very usable.

No, not user preferences. My point was that we do have to care
about usability, but with a very small sample size of people who
are highly technical and already know the product, we're not
going to get very valid usability statistics. They'll be better
than nothing, but they won't be typical of how normal, lay people
will handle the application.

Murray

...........................................................................
Murray Altheim <murray07 at altheim.com>                           ===  = =
http://www.altheim.com/murray/                                     = =  ===
SGML Grease Monkey, Banjo Player, Wantanabe Zen Monk               = =  = =

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