I'm writing this on an app.
Learning an app for a tablet like iPad is very different from learning how to use an application based on a PC or a Mac. I'm used to getting in trouble first, and then combing through the help file and even a web search to find the way out. But apps provide meager help, and usually none at all.
There might be web video tutorials available for some apps. Rarely, a help video is provided within the app. The only one I've encountered so far was recorded at a screaming pace by the app developer, who swallowed his words so badly I had to play and pause sentence by sentence to figure out what he was saying. To paraphrase Henry Higgins, Why Can't Americans Learn How to Speak?
Quibbles aside, I find apps appealing because they throw you into the water without swimming lessons. Maybe there's a life ring, but it barely floats. Apps are explored with your fingers, and this tactile learning experience helps the user take possession.
I think there are parallels to this design approach for any medium. Throw your audience into the water and let them discover their ability to swim.
No comments:
Post a Comment