RE: UKNM: Inspection

[Stewart Dean]

> -----Original Message-----

>

From: John McCarthy [j [dot] mccarthyucl [dot] ac [dot] uk (mailto:j [dot] mccarthyucl [dot] ac [dot] uk)]

> Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2000 10:10 AM

> To: uk-netmarketing

> Subject: UKNM: Inspection

>

> Stickyness? But that's been around for a while.


Really a combination of usability and content.


> On Usability:

> Doesn't this overlap with targeting?


Everything overlaps with usability. To my mind branding and targeting are

subsets of both usability and business strategy.


> A software example:

> If I'm familiar with one set of functions eg. Layers in

> photoshop.. then a

> transfer of those functions to another package would

> make the new package very usable.

> If I'm not already familiar then the new package may not be

> that usable.

>

> ie. Usability is related to the existing knowledge or

> expertise of the user.


But the site still has to be useable for those who want to use it. It's

guaranteed people who don't have the  specialist knowledge of an assumed

target audience will want to use a give application or web site. A well

designed site allows for quick access to those skilled but does not lock out

those who are still traversing a learning curve. Many applications appear to

either treat you as a novice or an fully trained user (Word being a classic

example) with the result being a very frustrating section in the middle for

those who only know a small amount about the application. Word (and Windows

come to think of it) put related features in completely different menus

accessible via different methods.


Also knowledge of one application (say PhotoShop) can be a hindrance in

another (Fireworks) which may appear to work in the same way but have major

conceptual differences.


>

Stewart Dean - SDeanscient [dot] com

> Customer Experience UK

> Scient*: The eBusiness Systems Innovator*

>

Be part of an epic. Send CVs to Belegendary-in-londonscient [dot] com

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