Sessions 6, 7, 8, & 9
Posted on 11. Oct, 2009 by indolering in Ubiquity, summer09
Despite my best efforts on the documentation front, users still failed to grasp the simplistic syntax scheme of Ubiquity. I suspected this was due to poor contextual “documentation.” So I designed an experiment testing out a simpler skin.
Below is an expert user, a former networking technician for Microsoft and an admin for their XBox Live division whom is familiar with command lines. He totally missed the command premise, he mistook Ubiquity for the search box, also note how the user doesn’t read the suggestion text.
While trying to customize a skin I accidentally got Ubiquity without any styling… and found it very refreshing.
I also used Enso on my media server and took note of the lite nature of text decorations, syntax highlighting in the text entry field, as well as the auto-completion.
- From the Humanized website
For test 7 I switched the skin to a modified Simpliquity skin with much larger font and a white background. I also attempted to hack syntax highlighting. However, I was unable to get delimiter highlighting working in the suggested arguments area in time for the tests. Never-the-less, it seems to have helped.
The user picked up the command structure immediately. The user still thinks the optional augments are not optional -a mistake several past participants made as well. The most minimalist way to solve this is by having a vanilla command and command with optional arguments in the suggestion list, with a fuller explanation in the help text.
email this page
email message to name or email address
User #8 threw a wrench into my theory that syntax highlighting would convey the command and argument structure. Although he did functionally score better than user 6 it was clear that I prompted him to search for weather in NYC. Although, if you watch closely, he first types “ne” instead of nyc, mimicking the autosuggets. Additionally, he also nails the modifier in “email to” after watching the video a second time through.
The confusion from #8 was enough that I tested another person. Here is a Linux admin, getting it right out of the gate. Big thanks to satyr for getting delimiter highlighting working! (It’s in the nightlies, or as an xpi here.)
Users 7 & 9 are Linux users, while 6 & 8 are Windows admins. Despite all being familiar with command lines, obviously the Linux admins will have a better pre-existing mental model. Will see if future tests show continue to show an improvement.
Give feedback people! Even mean feedback! Especially mean feedback!
Update, Oct 24th
Just noticed that the compressor didn’t provide sound, grrrrr! Will investigate…
