I was thinking yesterday about how I might teach my technophobic Father how to use the Internet. I came to the realisation that web browsing at its core is very simple. Click on highlighted phrases. Click on the Back button to return to where you were. Or as the Cluetrain Manifesto puts it “Here’s the instruction manual for a web browser: if it’s blue and underlined, click on it.” Maybe it’s this simplicity that is the true reason why so many hundreds of millions of people across the world have flocked to the web.

Pity we don’t have this kind of simplicity in all the devices we use. When we use a VCR, out intention is to tape a specific show. Instead, if you are like me, every time that I pick up the remote control I have to re-learn a series of arbitrary commands and button sequences. I can’t just achieve my goal of recording the latest Warriors game – technology gets in the way. Read more »

It seems that every time I get postal mail it’s a bill.  I get power bills, phone bills, insurance bills, bills from the council, bills from the electrician, and bills from the mechanic!  I’m drowning in bills.

By definition, bills are not particularly friendly.  I have yet to meet someone who actually enjoys getting and paying bills.  They cost money (obviously!) and
are a chore.  In fact, one recent study from the UK suggests that people on average spend up to one working week a year in paying bills! Read more »

Back when I got my first computer I used to get a thrill out of trying out shareware – crazy applications I would never use to sort recipes or learn to type. I would customise every aspect of my computer – the welcome screen, the desktop image, the colours and fonts and definitely the sounds. I was like a kid decorating the cover of an exercise book. It was the same when I first discovered the Net – I would go looking for things randomly – whatever came into my mind, and spent many late nights downloading Monty Python scripts, poems by Edgar Allan Poe, and Smashing Pumpkins images.

These days, my behaviour is completely different. My PC is a tool. I only customise it to enhance my productivity. I rarely browse the web for fun, and when I do, if were completely honest with myself, it’s probably because I want to appear interesting (“Did you see site xyz?”). I can’t remember the last time I discovered a new application. I use the same old comfortable suite of applications, and invariably any new piece of software I load up comes as a recommendation from a trusted friend. I even shy away from upgrading the software I do own. Unless the latest version has a new feature I’ve been wanting my first thought is that the new version will probably screw up something. Read more »

Life is governed by rules.

I live two blocks away from New Zealand’s busiest pedestrian street, Lambton Quay. After a little observation, it’s obvious to see that the way we walk down
the street is governed by a set of rules. Walk on the left. Always be purposeful, even if you’re slow. Stay a respectful distance from the rest of the foot traffic.

But what happens when the rules of life conflict, or people differ in their opinion of what the rules are? It doesn’t take long for right driving foreigners
walking down a busy New Zealand street to realise that going against the flow is not very efficient. Read more »

My flatmate likes to accuse me of being dumb at using technology on purpose. There is a certain truth in that – I would prefer not to have to learn how to connect up all the cords snaking out of the back of the TV and VCR. Plus, as a usability engineer, what would I have to complain about if I found everything usable? Still, I was pleased to read the other day that the late Michael Dertouzos, the former director of the computer science lab at MIT, also struggles with technology. Read more »

Well, it’s time to shop for my sister-in-law. She’s just finished a degree in illustration, and so I thought it would be cool to get her a poster of something arty. I eventually decided on The Story of Letters, from Exploratorium. Since she was interested in typography I thought that a gift of a chart that tracked the progress of the modern alphabet might be fun. OK, time to buy.

Getting the poster into the cart and through checkout was fairly painless. I was then asked to choose my shipping address. At least this one has got some options that were resonably easy to understand. Read more »

This year at Christmas my family will be split between Brisbane, Australia and Tauranga, New Zealand. Since I was going to have to send presents to at least one location, I thought it was time I dipped my toe into the waters of christmas gift buying online. Traditionally I’ve shied away from it, mainly because all the problems of buying online are multiplied when shopping for someone else. I have to worry about whether an item of clothing will fit, delays in shipping in case it is going to arrive after the 25th of December, gift wrapping. There are just so many things to screw up. But, taking a deep breath, I started taking a look around…

The first thing I tried was a boardgame that I’d heard about called Carcassonne. I had been recommended the site www.kumquat.com (now offline). Read more »

I’ve always been a fan of EFT-POS (Electronic Funds Transfer at Point Of Sale) since I got my first card in 1992. But just lately I’ve been frustrated with inconsistency of the whole customer experience. You’d think by now that the banks, supermarkets and retail outlets would have it sorted. But I still struggle with the simplest of tasks: how I’m supposed to present my card. Do I hand it to you? Or do I swipe it myself? Those machines drive me nuts. The laws of logic dictate that I should insert the card the right way 50% of the time. Unfortunately the more pervasive Murphy’s Law kicks in to ensure my chances of success are much lower. Then, just when I think I’ve got it all sorted and go to swipe myself I’m foiled by a card reader hidden on the front of the register.

And what about getting cash out? Sometimes you’ll sign for it and they keep the receipt. Other times you keep the receipt. And just to mix it up you’ll occasionally reach for a pen only be told that you don’t need to sign at all. It’s a Seinfeld episode waiting to happen. You leave the counter feeling mildly embarassed. The teller thinks you might be mildly retarded. Read more »

“Understanding human needs is half the job of meeting them.” Adlaid Stevenson

If asked to summarise what I got from the three days I spent at the mobile commerce conference in Melbourne, the quote above would be it. In three days of listening to speakers talk on topics ranging from how they’ve successfully made mobile technology work for their business, wireless standards and uptake of mobile services in South East Asia; there was one consistent message in all their stories – if it’s not useful, it won’t be used.

It was a fantastic time to get an understanding for what is happening in the mobile world in Australia, New Zealand and in certain parts of South East Asia. Consideration for usability in mobile devices, services and applications will be an area to watch very closely as ‘next generation’ services and handsets hit the market. Read more »

Last night I decided to order some pizza from Pizza Hutt. I rang their 0800 number on my cellphone, and got a pre-recorded message saying that I should try out their new text message pizza delivery service. Now, normally I’m not a big fan of text messaging. It might cost less than a phone call, but in my experience doesn’t save any time. Maybe I need a dialing wand. Still, I like to support new technology and initiaitives, so texted the word PIZZA to 8383.

This was the reply:
“PZA HUT TXT: 2 Ordr 4 delivry Snd the TXTcode to 8383. Chk out our $5 discount deal! Snd the word MENU to 8383 for Deals and TXTcodes. Qs? 0800838383″ Read more »