Comments on: newer. better? http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/ simplicity resources for design, business, technology, and life Sat, 31 Jul 2010 19:37:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: xylot http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-222 Sat, 02 Dec 2006 07:13:32 +0000 http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-222 hey, you are quoted again in businessweek. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_50/b4013061.htm?campaign_id=nws_insdr_dec1&link_position=link3 Like what you have wrote and done, and am trying to see how to extend it to my work and life in Singapore. Still did not manage to find your book in the local shops, probably have to buy it off amazon.com. Thomas Wong hey, you are quoted again in businessweek.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_50/b4013061.htm?campaign_id=nws_insdr_dec1&link_position=link3

Like what you have wrote and done, and am trying to see how to extend it to my work and life in Singapore. Still did not manage to find your book in the local shops, probably have to buy it off amazon.com.

Thomas Wong

]]> by: sroden http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-214 Thu, 30 Nov 2006 15:43:43 +0000 http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-214 the idea of the survey is misguided from my point of view. it's not like apple is going to move backwards in terms of design (well, 20 years from now i'm sure we'll get the "nostalgia-pod" which will replicate the first one, but that's another story....) they should look at current users and ask them about the interface and how it works - not comparing it to the last few, but working with improving what's there... as someone who used ituned first and an ipod second there are many things about the new itunes software that would make the ipod's use more streamlined and user friendly beyond the botton locations (although one good thing about the newest design is it's relatively easy to navigate with one finger while driving :-). integrating a search by album cover (even if postage stamp sized) would create a different approach to the existing buttons, etc. the idea of the survey is misguided from my point of view. it’s not like apple is going to move backwards in terms of design (well, 20 years from now i’m sure we’ll get the “nostalgia-pod” which will replicate the first one, but that’s another story….) they should look at current users and ask them about the interface and how it works - not comparing it to the last few, but working with improving what’s there… as someone who used ituned first and an ipod second there are many things about the new itunes software that would make the ipod’s use more streamlined and user friendly beyond the botton locations (although one good thing about the newest design is it’s relatively easy to navigate with one finger while driving :-) . integrating a search by album cover (even if postage stamp sized) would create a different approach to the existing buttons, etc.

]]> by: Greg http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-213 Thu, 30 Nov 2006 12:47:57 +0000 http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-213 The premise of the survey is faulty. Most iPod owners can't make a valid judgment about the interfaces because most iPod owners have never used the older two interfaces. The majority of iPods in existence have been sold with the current interface. Ergo, it's likely that users who have experienced the earlier two interfaces make up a minority of the survey respondents, so the results will skew to the majority's bias toward the current interface (since that's all they've experienced and they're probably quite happy with it). To get more accurate results you need to only survey users who have experienced all three interfaces -- a much smaller sample, to be sure, but one that will generate more useful results. Although, since people frequently feel biased toward the interface they learn first and resist change, you might get a skew toward the earlier interfaces from that group. The ideal survey would be to sit a bunch of people who've NEVER used iPods down and let them play with each of the interfaces. The premise of the survey is faulty.

Most iPod owners can’t make a valid judgment about the interfaces because most iPod owners have never used the older two interfaces. The majority of iPods in existence have been sold with the current interface.

Ergo, it’s likely that users who have experienced the earlier two interfaces make up a minority of the survey respondents, so the results will skew to the majority’s bias toward the current interface (since that’s all they’ve experienced and they’re probably quite happy with it).

To get more accurate results you need to only survey users who have experienced all three interfaces — a much smaller sample, to be sure, but one that will generate more useful results.

Although, since people frequently feel biased toward the interface they learn first and resist change, you might get a skew toward the earlier interfaces from that group.

The ideal survey would be to sit a bunch of people who’ve NEVER used iPods down and let them play with each of the interfaces.

]]> by: maeda http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-197 Mon, 27 Nov 2006 21:21:24 +0000 http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-197 Your point on the size of the screen is important. Many of the specific sizes for these small display screens are determined by the mobile phone market I understand (because they are able to sell so many of them). It isn't like painting a square patch with a picture -- which you can do at any size. Fewer sizes, greater constraints; greater the challenge. Your point on the size of the screen is important. Many of the specific sizes for these small display screens are determined by the mobile phone market I understand (because they are able to sell so many of them). It isn’t like painting a square patch with a picture — which you can do at any size. Fewer sizes, greater constraints; greater the challenge.

]]> by: Andreas http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-191 Mon, 27 Nov 2006 14:20:02 +0000 http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-191 Of course I know absolutely nothing about the subject, but I wonder if the current layout of the ipod controls has more to do with their need to fit a larger screen on the same face area than before. Of course they could have shrunk the wheel a tad, but in terms of space the current design is a good solution. Of course I know absolutely nothing about the subject, but I wonder if the current layout of the ipod controls has more to do with their need to fit a larger screen on the same face area than before.
Of course they could have shrunk the wheel a tad, but in terms of space the current design is a good solution.

]]> by: maeda http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-179 Sat, 25 Nov 2006 16:46:13 +0000 http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-179 I think you're right Paul. You know best what you have. And most don't really have the older version. There's a usability paper to be written in here somewhere, definitely. I think you’re right Paul. You know best what you have. And most don’t really have the older version. There’s a usability paper to be written in here somewhere, definitely.

]]> by: pauldwaite http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-178 Sat, 25 Nov 2006 16:31:17 +0000 http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-178 The sales figures for the iPod do, I think, show that many, many more people will have owned the current revision of the controls than either of the previous two. People might just be voting for the one they have. And, of course, given that the iPod's only been around for five years and is fairly expensive, there might not be a huge proportion of people who have used more than one of the control designs. A proper usability test, measuring speed and error rate of users with the different designs, would be very interesting. The sales figures for the iPod do, I think, show that many, many more people will have owned the current revision of the controls than either of the previous two. People might just be voting for the one they have.

And, of course, given that the iPod’s only been around for five years and is fairly expensive, there might not be a huge proportion of people who have used more than one of the control designs.

A proper usability test, measuring speed and error rate of users with the different designs, would be very interesting.

]]> by: maeda http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-177 Sat, 25 Nov 2006 13:45:13 +0000 http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-177 No worries. The US Gov't is investing millions of dollars for <a href="http://www.vote.caltech.edu/" rel="nofollow">scientists</a> to figure this problem out for us once and for all. <i>[cue slightly cynical soundtrack here -- not because of the scientists, of course, but for the government's involvement]</i> No worries. The US Gov’t is investing millions of dollars for scientists to figure this problem out for us once and for all. [cue slightly cynical soundtrack here — not because of the scientists, of course, but for the government’s involvement]

]]> by: Chris http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-175 Sat, 25 Nov 2006 05:08:36 +0000 http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-175 What? An unscientific poll isn't scientific? Who'd have thought? ;-) What? An unscientific poll isn’t scientific? Who’d have thought? ;-)

]]> by: bv http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-172 Fri, 24 Nov 2006 20:58:00 +0000 http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/11/24/newer-better/#comment-172 seems in line with what i though it would be... but polls are always hard to make accurate esp. online ones. peace. bv. seems in line with what i though it would be… but polls are always hard to make accurate esp. online ones.
peace. bv.

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