9/22/05: Chug chug

[davidlevine]

Took the train to work today, saving gas and getting a little time for writing. Added about 300 words to the space opera folk tale story and edited a bunch of the existing words. Also did some critiques.

And as for that reopened bug? Turned out the submitter wanted to talk to me because the problem was really subtle. It's a mental model problem -- the user has a consistent mental model of what the software is doing, but it doesn't match the software's behavior. It would be easy to say that the user is wrong, but others also have the same incorrect mental model, which means that the software isn't doing enough to educate the user about how the system actually works. I need to find a way to gently persuade the user to think about the problem in the right way. Not yet sure how to do this, but I'm accepting the reopened bug as an indication that something needs to be done.

Tomorrow: off to Foolscap!

Comments

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Tomorrow: off to Foolscap!

Yay! Save me a meal?

[davidlevine]

You know it!

user errors and room for improvement

[moriamerri.livejournal.com]

Not to pick on you about this (in fact you're being very smart and reasonable in thinking about it) -- but YEAH, user errors quite often indicate things that are difficult or confusing. I actually try to remember to take a second look at the ones I've already agreed are user error to see if there is a documentation problem there, or an enhancement request. It's important to do this with a spirit of openness -- I'm not arguing the point that it IS user error and the the software works as designed. Dead issue. But, maybe since it works that way some nudging is in order. I often at least tell DOC about whatever-it-is so they can decide if/how to document it. Sometimes I forget all about this-- it is one of those things I reforget and reremember over time. (Spoken as a QA engineer of about 15 years or so.)

Re: user errors and room for improvement

[davidlevine]

It turned out to be a really tricky problem -- redirecting the user's mental model without being able to rework the interface too much (we are real close to going to beta). I've prototyped a potential solution and it's now in review.

Um, do I know you?

Re: user errors and room for improvement

[moriamerri.livejournal.com]

Depends on how you count "know you".
I dance with ECR; you would recognize my face; I'm sure I've
said HELLO to you and/or Kate at some point(s).
But, no, you don't personally know me, as in I doubt we have
ever had a real conversation, you don't know about my current
problems/triumphs/projects.

Probably I should have said, but I'm lazy :)

Also, I think my comments may really be a bit off your topic,
but too tempting for me to pass on, it hits a nerve (or is
that "many nerves")

Re: user errors and room for improvement

[davidlevine]

You were the one playing with the Etch-A-Sketch in the Star Thru the Silicon Galaxy video, right?

And I don't think your comment was off-topic at all.

oh, yah, I forgot, I'm "famous"

[moriamerri.livejournal.com]

Yes, that is me in the video, with the etch-a-sketch ---
forgot about that as a reference point--- and it is a good reference point, still even now, oddly enough.

I'm on topic because you commented on the bug etc, but I
think you're more about writing here?

Re: oh, yah, I forgot, I'm "famous"

[davidlevine]

This blog is about me. It's mostly about writing, because most of what I do (other than eat, sleep, etc.) is either writing or work and the work stuff is boring. But I might post anything. Anything, do you hear!

Re: oh, yah, I forgot, I'm "famous"

[moriamerri.livejournal.com]

Wonderful. Sounds very promising :)