In my previous posting Can software developers build usable GUI’s? I mentioned that I was reading The inmates are running the asylum written by Alan Cooper. During my vacation in Italy last May I’ve finished reading the book. The fact that I read this book while I was relaxing in the sun on a campsite at Lake Garda may sound like a detail that isn’t worth mentioning. But actually I think it is. I’ve tried to read IT related books before while being on vacation but I never (I repeat, never) managed to finish the book. Dan Brown or John Grisham can keep my attention during a vacation but Martin Fowler or Mark Cade fail to do so. But Alan Cooper has written The inmates… in a very entertaining manner and I have enjoyed reading it.

But what is the book about? Just like About Face. Essentials of User-Interface Design the book is about the usability of software based products. In The inmates are running the asylum Alan Cooper focusses on the role of the Interaction Designer (which should not be confused with a GUI Designer). He states that in many projects the focus is on adding features instead on fulfilling (real) end-user goals. The reason for this is the way in which software-engineering is organized. The inmates (that is us, the developers) are running the show (and we shouldn’t) according to Alan Cooper.

Many software-based products are so-called Dancing Bearware. At first it is fun to see a Bear moving around as if it is dancing. But after a while you’ll notice that the bear isn’t dancing that good. And is it really dancing? The same goes for many software-based products. In a demo it really looks nice and seems to work fine. But after a while when you have a closer look you’ll notice that working with the product isn’t that fun anymore. Recognizeable? To me it is (have a look in the box with all the nice gadgets you had over the last few years…).

Cooper gives many examples of where software-based products fail to support its end-user. However he doesn’t leave it at that. He points out where in his view the real problem lies and what can be done about it. He describes a method that his company uses to improve the interaction between humans and software-based products. After explaining the basics of this method (where he introduces personas) he gives some examples of projects where he used his method. In my opinion this method can be combined with RUP (personas instead of human-actors). Coopers method isn’t the silver bullit with which we are guaranteed to build perfect applications. But it shows that software-based products should also be looked at from a point-of-view that isn’t natural for programmers. This is where the Interaction Designer comes into play and where the organization needs to be changed so that this role is fitted in the correct spot. And they should be running the asylum, or at least have a lot more influence, instead of us…

Like I said before, the style of the book is very entertaining and on top of that it gives a nice insight in how software-based products can fail. I would suggest this book in addition to all the hard-core technical books we have on our bookshelves.

Dit bericht is gepost op 17 May 2009 om 9:56 pm uur en is geplaatst in Algemeen. Je kunt alle reacties op dit bericht volgen via de RSS 2.0 feed. Je kunt een reactie achter laten of trackback vanaf je eigen site.