Missing Home Button in KFD

[Thomas Zander]

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On Monday 22 July 2002 19:20, Matthias Elter wrote:
> On Monday 22 July 2002 19:00, Thomas Zander wrote:
> > > The question is if "something" is a direct user action or some kind of
> > > automatic or delayed action, like a timer event.
> >
> > Hi Matthias. that question is a technical explanation of the concept of
> > automatic. While it is automatic in the programmers sense, I don't think
> > it fits the thought pattern a user will have. A user will anticipate what
> > happens when he does an action. If things happen which he will not
> > directly associate with the action it is perceived as automatic.
> >
> > Or in other words; Pressing a button makes an action work. If next to
> > that action something else is done, that means it is done automaticly.
>
> Ok, perhaps we disagree on the correct definiton of "automatic" but I think
> what matters is "instant reaction". From a users view something happens
> automatically when it is not an instant reaction on a user action. In other
> words: When I click a button and see changes I will think of them as a
> direct result of my action if they happen instantaneous.
>
> Anything that happens at some random point of time for no apparent reason
> (and therefore can not easily be connected to an action or event) is
> confusing. This is not the case for the home button problem.

User testing I did tells me different things; the actions may be 2 cm apart 
from each other on screen, yet if the user did not expect it to change AND 
the thing that she did expect to happen does happen. she will not notice. 
Period. Annoying, but true.
Later she will just conclude that 'the system' changed it automatically, and 
will loose confidence that she will be able to understand those hard to use 
computers ;)

So I don't care what the 'correct' definition of auto is. You may be right 
that it has to do with timing. I will rephrase my 'complaint' as; Changing 
things the user did not expect is not good.

- -- 
Thomas Zander                                           zander at planescape.com
                                                 We are what we pretend to be
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