Alertbox: Windows 8 - Disappointing Usability
Jakob Nielsen <[email protected]> Mon, 19 Nov 2012 17:14:57 +0000
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Hidden features, reduced discoverability, cognitive overhead from dual env=
ironments,
and reduced power from a single-window UI and low information density. Too=
bad.
Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox for November 19:
Windows 8 =E2=80=94 Disappointing Usability for Both Novice and Power User=
s
> http://www.useit.com/alertbox/windows-8.html)
------------------------------------------------------------
** Usability Week 2012 conference
* Las Vegas: December 2-7
> http://www.nngroup.com/events/las_vegas/
Deadline to save $200 on advance registration:
* Next Friday, November 30
2013 events (save the dates):
* New York City: March 17-22, 2013
* San Francisco: April 28-May 3, 2013
* London: May 12-17, 2013
* Toronto: June 3-7, 2013
* Melbourne: July 2013
Full programs for these upcoming events will be posted in December.
------------------------------------------------------------
** Users Very Impatient When Starting Web Videos
Professor Ramesh Sitaraman analyzed 23 million cases of users trying to wa=
tch online
videos and calculated the bounce rate depending on the delay in having the=
video start playing.
> http://gigaom.com/2012/11/09/online-viewers-start-leaving-if-video-doe=
snt-play-in-2-seconds-says-study/
The main finding is that 6% more users abandon the video for every 1 secon=
d extra delay.
The new data obviously confirms old usability findings about the importanc=
e of fast
response time on the web. A few years some user interface commentators
questioned the notion of fast response as a design priority, but I don't t=
hink
anybody truly believe these detractors anymore.
> http://www.useit.com/alertbox/response-times.html
Furthermore, the study's plots of the decay function clearly demonstrate t=
hat there is no
one cut-off value that shows "how long users will wait" (as we're often as=
ked about).
I have long said that user behavior cannot be captured by a single number.
Rather, the more usable something is, the more use it will gain, but even
designs with low usability (e.g., slow response) will get some use.
> http://www.useit.com/alertbox/interaction-elasticity.html
------------------------------------------------------------
** UI Person to Head Windows
I am rather critical of the Windows 8 user interface in this week's column=
, but there
may be hope ahead. In one of Microsoft's incessant reorgs, Julie Larson-Gr=
een has
been promoted to lead all Windows software and hardware engineering.
I don't know the internal story about who was responsible for the mistakes=
in
Windows 8's design, and it's certainly possible that Larson-Green has her=
share
of the blame since she her previous job was head of Windows program manage=
ment.
On the bright side, she was head of user interfaces for Office 2007 which=
was
Microsoft's best non-game design in recent decades.
In any case, I think it's positive that somebody with a UI background got=
promoted
to lead all engineering for the world's most prominent software product.
It certainly shows the importance of UI and the career potential for UX pr=
ofessionals,
now that our field is getting more recognition. It might also portend bett=
er design for Windows 9.
On the other hand, if Windows 9 is a failure, we won't have the excuse tha=
t
it was because top management doesn't understand user experience.
Now they do.
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Copyright =C2=A9 2012 Nielsen Norman Group, All rights reserved.
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<div style="color: #101010;font-family: Verdana,Calibri,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;line-height: 120%;text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;color: #101010;font-family: Verdana,Calibri,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;line-height: 120%;">
<blockquote style="background-color: #ffffdd; color: #000000; line-height:130%; padding: 4px; margin: 0;">
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 2px;">
<a href="http://useit.us4.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=538d934a891681a5d850bb4e5&id=a0b5e15a3b&e=f405d0f72c" style="text-decoration: none;color: #505050;font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #505050;">Summary:</span><br>
Hidden features, reduced discoverability, cognitive overhead from dual environments, and reduced power from a single-window UI and low information density. Too bad. </a></p>
<p style="margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 0; font-size:120%; line-height:140%;">
<a href="http://useit.us4.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=538d934a891681a5d850bb4e5&id=577e9291a2&e=f405d0f72c" style="text-decoration: none;color: #505050;font-weight: normal;">Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox for November 19: <span style="text-decoration: underline; color:#0033aa;"><strong>Windows 8 — Disappointing Usability for Both Novice and Power Users</strong></span></a></p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<h3 style="color: #202020;display: block;font-family: Verdana,Calibri,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 120%;font-weight: bold;line-height: 100%;margin-bottom: 10px;text-align: left;">
Usability Week 2012 conference</h3>
<ul>
<li style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;">
<a href="http://useit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=538d934a891681a5d850bb4e5&id=3b9d3cd852&e=f405d0f72c" style="color: #0033aa;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">Las Vegas</a>: December 2-7</li>
</ul>
<p>
<a href="http://useit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=538d934a891681a5d850bb4e5&id=e269304ae7&e=f405d0f72c" style="color: #0033aa;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">Full event program</a> describing all full-day training courses.</p>
<p>
Deadline to save $200 on <a href="http://useit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=538d934a891681a5d850bb4e5&id=dfcba638fd&e=f405d0f72c" style="color: #0033aa;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">advance registration</a>:<br>
* <strong>Next Friday</strong>, November 30</p>
<p>
<strong>2013 events</strong> (save the dates):</p>
<ul>
<li style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;">
New York City: March 17-22, 2013</li>
<li style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;">
San Francisco: April 28-May 3, 2013</li>
<li style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;">
London: May 12-17, 2013</li>
<li style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;">
Toronto: June 3-7, 2013</li>
<li style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;">
Melbourne: July 2013</li>
</ul>
<p>
Full programs for these upcoming events will be posted in December.</p>
<hr>
<h3 style="color: #202020;display: block;font-family: Verdana,Calibri,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 120%;font-weight: bold;line-height: 100%;margin-bottom: 10px;text-align: left;">
Users <em>Very </em>Impatient When Starting Web Videos</h3>
<p>
Professor Ramesh Sitaraman <a href="http://useit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=538d934a891681a5d850bb4e5&id=0cba08c5cc&e=f405d0f72c" style="color: #0033aa;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">analyzed 23 million cases of users trying to watch online videos</a> and calculated the <a href="http://useit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=538d934a891681a5d850bb4e5&id=db80a796ce&e=f405d0f72c" target="_blank" style="color: #0033aa;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">bounce rate</a> depending on the delay in having the video start playing.</p>
<p>
The main finding is that <strong>6% more users abandon the video for every 1 second extra delay</strong>.</p>
<ul>
<li style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;">
The new data obviously confirms old usability findings about the <a href="http://useit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=538d934a891681a5d850bb4e5&id=465ced31e8&e=f405d0f72c" style="color: #0033aa;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">importance of fast response time</a> on the web. A few years some user interface commentators questioned the notion of fast response as a design priority, but I don't think anybody truly believe these detractors anymore.</li>
<li style="margin-top: 0px;margin-bottom: 0px;">
Furthermore, the study's plots of the decay function clearly demonstrate that there is no one cut-off value that shows "how long users will wait" (as we're often asked about). I have long said that <a href="http://useit.us4.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=538d934a891681a5d850bb4e5&id=e2e4a5e7a3&e=f405d0f72c" style="color: #0033aa;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">user behavior cannot be captured by a single number</a>. Rather, the more usable something is, the more use it will gain, but even designs with low usability (e.g., slow response) will get some use.</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<h3 style="color: #202020;display: block;font-family: Verdana,Calibri,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 120%;font-weight: bold;line-height: 100%;margin-bottom: 10px;text-align: left;">
UI Person to Head Windows</h3>
<p>
I am rather critical of the Windows 8 user interface in this week's column, but there may be hope ahead. In one of Microsoft's incessant reorgs, <a href="http://useit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=538d934a891681a5d850bb4e5&id=a7cca322d3&e=f405d0f72c" style="color: #0033aa;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">Julie Larson-Green has been promoted</a> to lead all Windows software and hardware engineering.</p>
<p>
I don't know the internal story about who was responsible for the mistakes in Windows 8's design, and it's certainly possible that Larson-Green has her share of the blame since she her previous job was head of Windows program management. On the bright side, she was head of user interfaces for Office 2007 which was Microsoft's best non-game design in recent decades.</p>
<p>
In any case, I think it's positive that somebody with a UI background got promoted to lead all engineering for the world's most prominent software product. It certainly shows the importance of UI and the career potential for UX professionals, now that our field is getting more recognition. It might also portend better design for Windows 9.</p>
<p>
(On the other hand, if Windows 9 is a failure, we won't have the excuse that it was because top management doesn't understand user experience. Now they do.)</p>
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