BBC NEWS | Technology | Britons still 'scared' of computers
Hmmm. Lots of implications for those of us within the technology industry. Ibelieve I've said before that marketing needs to start working out how to name products so they make sense to the ordinary man on the Clapham Omnibus but the same could also be said of the technology itself. The oft cited point about most people never understanding how to programme their VCR is a case in point.
People (as is widely known) by the benefits of products, they don't want the hassle of understanding or reading endless instruction manuals. It should, as much as possible, work out of the box. Ideally without any long protracted input.
I find my bread maker hard enough and that only has 3 buttons and I'm a technophile!
Designers, programmers, User Interface teams and marketeers must focus on this otherwise people will just not buy into the industry or new technology. Can we afford to wait until the technofears die off? I know I can't.
Posted by Paul Goodison at October 6, 2003 03:27 PM | TrackBack