Edward Tufte is definitely a recognized design guru but ever since I found out about him I have been _very_ puzzled about the design of his website. I would expect a design guru to have a better website.
Tufte on Windows Phone 7 Series interface design
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Re: Tufte on Windows Phone 7 Series interface design
#12Edward Tufte is definitely a recognized design guru but ever since I found out about him I have been _very_ puzzled about the design of his website. I would expect a design guru to have a better website.
It has text that can be read. What else do you need?
Re: Tufte on Windows Phone 7 Series interface design
#13Edward Tufte is definitely a recognized design guru but ever since I found out about him I have been _very_ puzzled about the design of his website. I would expect a design guru to have a better website.
shoemakers' children, and all. The same complaint is regularly registered towards Jakob Nielsen (http://www.useit.com/alertbox/) although it looks like his site is significantly more usable than it used to be.
Re: Tufte on Windows Phone 7 Series interface design
#14This seems like off the top of the head M$-style ranting- he hasn't used an actual device so this is just guesswork.
You spelled _Microsoft_ with a dollar sign, nyuck-nyuck. How's Slashdot these days?
Re: Tufte on Windows Phone 7 Series interface design
#15I haven't used the device itself, but a friend of mine that works at a microsoft shot has. He took snapshots that I wish he would share. It runs on a very similar processor as the nexus one, an arm snapdragon.
According to him, the device is actually quite nice. It is surprisingly fluid and very snappy. He currently uses a G1. From the screenshots I've seen, it looks very nice indeed.
I guess this is where it pays to be a bit ignorant of design- I liked the design and the home screen seemed great to me. I guess it's because I wasn't aware of all the "negative space" they were wasting.
Re: Tufte on Windows Phone 7 Series interface design
#16Re: Tufte on Windows Phone 7 Series interface design
#17I have a ton of respect for Tufte, but I think he is wrong about a few things here. After using the Zune for a few months, I'm surprised to see him say that it looks like it was designed on a larger device and then shrunk down to fit a handheld. The UI is quite effective, and I believe the 'negative space' is actually quite effective at training the user to recognize scrollable areas vs. non-scrollable, as well as pr…
I haven't used a Zune but I'd really like to. Have you used an iPhone or Android and, if so, do you feel like it's easier to tell scrollable vs. non-scrollable on Zune than them?
I have an iPod touch, so I'm familiar with the interface. In some ways it is MUCH simpler to tell scrollable vs non-scrollable. At the same time, it isn't really a huge issue on the iPhone, but yes there is a difference.
The iPhone home screen may be the best example. I've got a screen full of icons, and nothing really tells me that there is another page of icons waiting (unless I look at the very small dots at the bottom of the screen). On the ZuneHD, I have two cues. 1) the gap at the top, and 2) the last item is partially cut-off as a hint that there is more to come.
If zune had just had the list without the gap at the top, you would only know you've reached the top by the end of scrolling. The negative space, I find, to be a nice way to say that you're at the top or bottom, without adding another UI element like a bar or something.
On the iPhone, they've accomplished this with an 'over scroll' which shows me just black space and then springs back to the icons. Try it yourself, on your home screen scroll too far right, or too far left. The Zune has the same effect, though it isn't necessary because they've added the negative space.
The Zune uses negative space in applications as well, though I feel they could have done a better job, I'm sure it will improve. As for the negative space on the right, on the Zune, you can use that to control volume in the music player (though it brings up a function screen which I'm not a huge fan of), the use of a large negative space makes it so I can control the volume without having to look at the device (changing tracks can be done with a swipe, so no look for that is really good too). For some reason he button which is located at the usual volume spot on the iphone doesn't change the volume. I'm not sure why.
Re: Tufte on Windows Phone 7 Series interface design
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
I haven't used a Zune but I'd really like to. Have you used an iPhone or Android and, if so, do you feel like it's easier to tell scrollable vs. non-scrollable on Zune than them?
I have an iPod touch, so I'm familiar with the interface. In some ways it is MUCH simpler to tell scrollable vs non-scrollable. At the same time, it isn't really a huge issue on the iPhone, but yes there is a difference. The iPhone home screen may be the best example. I've got a screen full of icons, and nothing really tells me that there is another page of icons waiting (unless I look at the very small dots at the b…
Thanks very much. I look forward to trying out a Zune.
Re: Tufte on Windows Phone 7 Series interface design
#19Earlier quoted context omitted.
Really? I liked: "Of course Microsoft's customers are already familiar with deep layerings and complex hierarchies."
Seriously. I thought the mantra of presentations and UI design was Know your Audience. It would dopey to design for designers rather than trying things out with the people who are going to use the thing.
On the other hand, there's a good chance that the opinions of the people in their test groups are completely arbitrary, and will change once they hear the opinion of their early-adopting designer friends. Also, the UI looks like it was designed for (and/or by) marketing people, not designers.
Re: Tufte on Windows Phone 7 Series interface design
#20I have a ton of respect for Tufte, but I think he is wrong about a few things here. After using the Zune for a few months, I'm surprised to see him say that it looks like it was designed on a larger device and then shrunk down to fit a handheld. The UI is quite effective, and I believe the 'negative space' is actually quite effective at training the user to recognize scrollable areas vs. non-scrollable, as well as pr…
Exactly. Looking at pictures and videos of this UI and actually using it will certainly change ones prior opinion. I thought the Zune ui looked especially awkward. After using it as my personal music player it began to seem efficient and the information hierarchy extremely well thought out. I think the biggest negative aspect of Microsoft being this late in the game in rebooting the windows mobile line is that theres…
brandonkm,
Nice to know that I'm not the only Android user with a Zune. ;-)