Comments on: The Importance of Conventions http://usabilityfriction.com/2008/11/28/the-importance-of-conventions/ Usability shouldn't be a drag Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:50:25 +0000 hourly 1 By: Nathan Pledger http://usabilityfriction.com/2008/11/28/the-importance-of-conventions/comment-page-1/#comment-121 Nathan Pledger Fri, 28 Nov 2008 09:25:28 +0000 http://usabilityfriction.com/?p=302#comment-121 I agree. You learn a lot of conventions, and then when you design something yourself you have to remember the subconscious learning you have so you don't make mistakes. Some metaphors, icons and techniques are so discrete you don't realise you are using an established control technique. The "triangle on it's side" does everything from "Play" to "Build and Run" - either function it's purpose is pretty clear. The iPhone. For a technologically inferior phone, this phone seems to have an unwarranted level of hype, which is typical of Jobs. I'm willing to accept it's a preference thing, maybe people prefer the usability which is admittedly a key feature of a Mac (personal preference only, not that any other platform is fundamentally harder to use). But the volume control clearly weakens the "usability" card. If the screen is tall, tough, you need to be as clever in your UI design as you do when your makign tarty coverflow controls. They could of course put a nice, tactile rocker switch on the side of the device like every other phone has - which is physically re-inforced to prevent accidental holding down and consequent deafening. @programx I agree. You learn a lot of conventions, and then when you design something yourself you have to remember the subconscious learning you have so you don’t make mistakes. Some metaphors, icons and techniques are so discrete you don’t realise you are using an established control technique. The “triangle on it’s side” does everything from “Play” to “Build and Run” – either function it’s purpose is pretty clear.

The iPhone. For a technologically inferior phone, this phone seems to have an unwarranted level of hype, which is typical of Jobs. I’m willing to accept it’s a preference thing, maybe people prefer the usability which is admittedly a key feature of a Mac (personal preference only, not that any other platform is fundamentally harder to use). But the volume control clearly weakens the “usability” card. If the screen is tall, tough, you need to be as clever in your UI design as you do when your makign tarty coverflow controls. They could of course put a nice, tactile rocker switch on the side of the device like every other phone has – which is physically re-inforced to prevent accidental holding down and consequent deafening.

@programx

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