The Information School of the University of Washington Oct 2digerati @ university of washington1 What the Digerati Know INFO/CSE100, Fall 2006 Fluency

Oct 2 digerati @ university of washington 1

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What the Digerati Know

INFO/CSE100, Fall 2006Fluency in Information Technology

http://courses.washington.edu/info100/


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Questions from last class

• Podcast in iTunes


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Readings and References

• Reading– Fluency with Information Technology

»Chapter 2, What the Digerati Know


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tonLearning New Tools

• How do we learn to use new tools?– Be taught their use by someone else

-- car, bicycle, etc…– Reading the owner’s manual -- chain

saw– Passive Observance -- vending

machine– Figure them out ourselves -- CD

player


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Quick Software Learning

• Software designers want you to learn ASAP

• How? : They try for “intuitive” usage– Consistent Interfaces -- build in

experience– Suggestive icons and Metaphors --

bypass terminology


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Intuitive

Design?

Could you do better?


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Consistent Interfaces

• Cars– What would you do if they were all

different?

• Software– Functions look like another– Software programs looks like

eachother– Re-Use ideas - what others have done


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Consistent InterfacesMost modern applications File and

Edit menus with standard commands


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Same, but on a Mac


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Consistent Interfaces


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Computers use Metaphors

• Some familiar computer metaphors– Desktop (folders, inboxes, etc…)– Tree (root, branches, leaves)– Stoplights red = stop or error


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Dance Dance Revolution

What makes it easy to use?


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MenusWhat does “New” Mean?

• Most applications have the concept of a document with:– Attributes: date created, date modified,

creator, …– Content: image, text, sound

• “New” means create a ‘blank instance’ of a document for this application– A document has attributes as well as content

» All stored in one file with a place for anything» A ‘blank instance’ is simply the structure with some

of the attributes filled in but without any of the content


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“Click Around”

• Software designers use standard ideas to make applications intuitive

• To learn a new application, check it out by clicking around– Take a minute to familiarize…

»Look under all menus to see operations»Follow the “…” for menu operations»Try to recognize what the icons mean

• Clicking around is Exploration! :)


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Lets “Click Around” with Audacity

• Audacity– 1st - What does it do:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

– 2nd - Lets see if we can learn by “clicking around”


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“Blazing Away”

• Learn an application fast by trying it!

• Beginning with a new instance, assertively try menu items– Expect to fail and make a mess– Exit the application and if you are

asked to “Save?” reply “No”– Don’t be afraid of “breaking it”– Try repeatedly until becoming familiar


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What does BBEdit Do?

• All I know is it is a text editor…• Lets learn more by “blazing away”


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What else can I do to learn?

• Some times programs are intuitive– Easily teach yourself the application– Do so by familiarizing with features

by “Clicking Around”– Assertively try out the features:

»“Blaze Away” observing what they do»Be efficient -- stay focused, don’t type a

lot when you expect to exit

• What now, help?


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• The help menu is very handy

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.


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• Ask questions interactively

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.


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Online Tutorials• Where do they come from?

– Expert organizations– Online Magazines

• Different Formats– Interactive tools– Step by step examples

• Often used as references– Might support a user community - example

UW Computing Thunderbird

• Things to consider:– Are they up-to-date?– Are they selling something?


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Example Online Tutorials

• Skype Tutorial (3rd Party)– http://www.laptopmag.com/Features/

Skype-Made-Easy.htm

• Skype Online Help (Application Vendor)– http://www.skype.com/help/guides


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Dummies Books

• http://www.dummies.com/• Similar Format


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Differences & Similarities of Applications

• Different vendors - similar software - same task– Superficially - GUIs use similar features may look

different– Fundamentally - task largely determines how

the software must work… they must be similar

• Implications– If you know one word processor, you can learn

others fast– Software differences: mostly glitz and

convenience– Don’t accept lousy tools, consider switching to

other applications


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browsers• Camino

• Safari


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Another Implication

• Similar applications means quicker learning– Possibilities:

»Web Browsers - verified!»Word Processors / Text Editors?»Operating Systems?»Programming languages?


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Mac or PC???

• Arguments about which is better, Mac or PC create only create heat, no light– They are more alike than different– Any fluent person can use both

• I first bought a Mac Desktop, then a PC Desktop, then an IBM Laptop, and now this MacBookPro– And “afew other” computers in between


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Questions

• Open, New, Close, and Save can usually be found in the ______ menu


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Questions

• The online manual can usually be found in the ______ menu.


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Questions

• Name an advantage of a consistent interface from the consumer’s view?

• From the developers view?


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Summarizing• Humans must learn to use tools

– Software designers want you to learn easily» Good software uses consistent interfaces and menus

• Teach yourself applications by “Clicking Around” and “Blazing Away”– I don’t know all the features, you don’t know all

the features, and that’s okay!

• Software for a task must share core features

• Learn applications independent of vendors


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Homework 2

• Print out homework 2• You will have to complete some

tasks on 2 different computer systems (Mac, Windows, or Linux)– How will you ever learn?

• Due in class on Friday, Oct 6th

Documents

The Information School of the University of Washington Oct 2digerati @ university of washington1 What the Digerati Know INFO/CSE100, Fall 2006 Fluency