What I find most interesting about this question is how interface changes/"enhancements" affect an entrenched user base. It's the balance between old users and new users and an existing mental model vs. a new one. I'm all for a better interface - but I find myself still stalled using things I used to be totally comfortable with in Word like Table tools and Drawing tools. I'm currently working on a "new and improved" EAP product suite for my company. We are making radical changes including adding in a ribbon. As the lone User Experience person I keep voicing my concerns that we'll have low adoption from existing users simply BECAUSE the new UI is so different.
It's sort of conundrum. The original UI was designed by the "inmates in the asylum" so its horrible - I want to radically improve it - but users have learned it. The ratio of existing users to new users is approximately 8 to 1 so there are many more who already know the product. What do you all think? How do you balance making it better with what users already know? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=35167 ________________________________________________________________ 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
