No, computers are not simple.
Today I was reading a reddit post on r/webdev:
"Just a reminder. You cannot possibly idiot proof an app enough."
Just deployed an app for a client. Holy shit what a nightmare. I thought I designed it to be idiot proof, but apparently the world evolved more advanced idiots lol
Disclaimer: idiot proof is just an expression. I am happy to have my clients and work with them to find the perfect solution.
This post had a number of, at first glance, clever adages and funny stories:
If you make something idiot-proof, someone will just make a better idiot.
Sadly I have had this conversation with more than one customer, “I’m on the road and my app wont sync to the cloud”, “What is the error message?”. “Internet connection unavailable”. “Is mobile data turned on?”. “No, my iPad is WiFi only”.
I always echo this to frustrated devs/designers I've worked with: make something idiot-proof and the world will show you a better idiot.
But what stood out to me was really the input of those going against the grain on this post. A number of people were denouncing the post and these denigrating comments and instead turning the blame on developers, and their argument was really far more compelling:
Don't blame the end user.
- Yes, people can be clueless to use our apps/website.
- We think, "Well, I've designed it according to the best UI/UX principles."
- But "designed" and "live" are two different jungles.
You're fighting with the user's focus, not brainpower.
- They've got a million things to do in their day.
- Now they have a few minutes (or seconds) to figure out how to use your app/website.
- And your app UI/UX is not as obvious as you thought.
When we design interfaces for end-users to interact with an application, or even for other developers to use like libraries and API's, it's worth stepping back to remember: as the one building something, we are bound to have an incredibly privileged knowledge of how that interface works.
To many people, this is probably obvious—we don't start children on Sesame Street even if Shakespeare is easy for us. For many software developers (a group often stereotyped as socially inept egomaniacs) this fact still seems elusive.
By the way, it turns out the app which 'could not be idiot proofed enough', was "shipped in 1.5 weeks, so it's one of those rambo projects."
I'm really wondering whose fault the users' difficulties are...
But as the OP says, "it is what it is, but hey. got paid.", so who really won in the end?
-Peter V.