I think it's much simpler than that: With products as big and powerful as many of the Adobe products, the complexity and richness of the features leads inexorably to a certain amount of complexity in the user experience. In order to simplify it, you have to remove/restrict/dumb down the feature set. Or streamline parts to be really good and you end up with inconsistency throughout the product, with users no longer able to leverage knowledge of one piece of the interface to another.
Airplane consoles are hideously complex. Would simplifying them make it easier for more people to become commercial pilots? Would it serve the passengers and cargo well if some of the gauges were removed and the more powerful switches made harder to get at in order to have a "friendlier" interface? Or are they just kept complex to ensure that existing pilots keep their job seniority? (God, I hope not!) -- Jim -----Original Message----- >From: mark schraad <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >I was reading about Microsoft having recruited Adobe's (think >photoshop UI and more) Mark Hamburg to work on user experience. I >don't find Adobe product o be particularly user friendly, but I do >find them to be consistent and remarkably efficient once you get over >a learning curve. I appreciate that approach a lot. I found my self >wondering if, for professional tools, there is greater adoption, >product loyalty and stickiness in leaving a certain amount of >difficulty in the UI? The thinking goes... if the process is to easy, >then everyone can do it and it erodes my (the professional user's) >value in the marketplace. I know most people don't think much about >economics and supply and demand on purpose, but self preservation is >certainly prevalent at all levels. Thoughts? ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
