CONTACTS 

SUBJECTS
Personnel, Training, Management Skills
Engineering Life Cycle
Test Software
Usability Engineering
Evaluate Customer, Market
Usability/Entertainment are Dominate Design

0808 -
0808 -    ..
0809 - Summary/Objective
0810 -
081001 - Follow up ref SDS 13 0000, ref SDS 14 0000.
081002 -
081003 - Computer magazine on page 12 has an article on design methods for
081004 - software that reflect user needs, called "usability." ref OF 5
081006 -  ..
081007 - How to define, evaluate, research, design, implement and test
081008 - usability --- all of this is called:
081009 -
081010 -                      usability engineering,
081011 -
081012 -     ...ref OF 5 line 47.
081013 -  ..
081014 - Usability criteria are at ref OF 5 line 249, and also at ref OF 5
081015 - line 450.
081016 -
081017 - This begins with "emphatic design" reviewed on 940508. ref SDS 13 6930
081018 -
081019 -     Supported the following year by Tom Landauer's book, "The Trouble
081020 -     with Computers" calling for more testing of usefulness, ref SDS 21
081021 -     line 102, and ref SDS 21 line 410.
081022 -
081023 -
081024 - "Iterative revision of design" explained at ref OF 5 0877 and ref OF 5
081025 - 0667, is supported by with SDS, though it has been hard to obtain
081026 - participation of Users for design criteria, ref OF 5 0876.  Author
081027 - notes test users are "hard to come by," ref OF 5 0445.  This is a
081028 - weakness in SDS, which mainly reflects the preferences and perspective
081029 - of a single person.
081031 -      ..
081032 -     Lucky or Good??
081033 -
081034 -     Author indicates testing methods to obtain feed back at ref OF 5
081035 -     6073, but also says "luck" plays a large role in getting adequate
081036 -     information from prototype testing to do iterative usability
081037 -     designs. ref OF 5 0667
081038 -
081040 -  ..
081041 - Most of the important steps in empirical user testing, ref OF 5 0876
081042 - and prototyping, ref OF 5 7223, has taken 12 years for SDS.  It took
081043 - all that time to figure out what to create and how the parts should
081044 - fit together, and to get them to fit together smoothly.  This could
081045 - only be determined from working with the prototype.
081046 -
081047 -     Author cites "Boehm's spiral model, of software design that seems
081048 -     to reflect what we have done in creating, testing, creating,
081049 -     testing, etc. per ref OF 5 1556
081051 -  ..
081052 - We need more field studies of actual use of SDS, ref OF 5 0876, but
081053 - cannot get people to use SDS, which is another recognized challenge in
081054 - prototyping. ref OF 5 0445  Author says Usability Engineering entails
081055 - observing use of program in their regular environment, ref OF 5 0342,
081056 - and also at ref OF 5 6481
081058 -  ..
081059 - Prototyping is difficult because we often need feed back to figure out
081060 - how to solve User problems, but Users cannot use the system to the
081061 - point of disclosing what is needed, without a fully workable system.
081062 - ref OF 5 7223
081063 -
081064 -
081065 - "Usability life cycle" aims at understanding the target user
081066 - population and user tasks. ref OF 5 0754
081067 -
081068 -     Our user population is people who talk to people and have a need
081069 -     to think, remember and communicate, i.e. every human being.  So
081070 -     we need to understand what people want, and need to accomplish
081071 -     this task.  The problem is that people want things in conflict:
081072 -
081073 -          They want to absorb things easily.
081074 -          They want it to be accurate.
081075 -
081076 -             This is a conflict between speed and accuracy.
081077 -
081079 -      ..
081080 -     Problems that result from inadequate usability design, are
081081 -     indicated in the article on the "life-cycle" of automation
081082 -     implementation at ref SDS 15 line 93.
081083 -
081085 -  ..
081086 - Product Identity
081087 -
081088 - Need to describe what kind of "thing" the product is; state the
081089 - project's overall goals: what the product is supposed to be good for,
081090 - who is going to use it, and what other products it will be used with.
081091 -
081092 -     SDS improves the ability to think, remember and communicate by
081093 -     extending the power of the alphabet to capture, organize and
081094 -     retrieve, and connect information to create knowledge and ideas.
081096 -      ..
081097 -     People who want to think, remember and communicate better will
081098 -     use SDS, since it is the only way to accomplish that objective.
081099 -     Products like Lotus Notes can provide replication of SDS notes,
081100 -     but most any E-Mail program is adequate.
081101 -
081102 -
081103 -
081104 -
0812 -

SUBJECTS
Personnel, Training, Management Skills
Usability Engineering
Product Design, Productivity
Design Objectives

1106 -
1107 -   ..
110701 - Automated solutions should not propagate suboptimal methods that
110702 - were adopted solely because of limitations in previous technologies,
110703 - as developed in the discussion with Systems Analyist at McClellan AFB
110704 - on 930326. ref SDS 9 7488  It is not enough to just analyze the way
110705 - people currently do perform management tasks. It is, also, necessary
110706 - to analyse the underlying functional reason for the task: What is it
110707 - that really needs to be done? What are merely surface procedures that
110708 - can, and perhaps should, be improved? ref OF 5 line 198.
110709 -
110710 -     This is the idea of using a simple list of things to do as a
110711 -     schedule, instead of a conventional calendar screen because the
110712 -     former accomplishes the objective and provides additional
110713 -     capability, e.g. listing everything, full task descriptions,
110714 -     automatic carry forward.
110716 -      ..
110717 -     Users are hesitant about SDS because they do not see the advantag-
110718 -     es; they only "see" something that looks unfamiliar.
110720 -  ..
110721 - Another aspect of software design to improve management productivity
110722 - is automated integration of a "critical mass" of management practices
110723 - that work together smoothly, ref OF 2 line 29, and at ref OF 2 line
110724 - 605.
110726 -  ..
110727 - [This idea was supported by author who wrote "Virtual Corporation" --
110728 - see review at ref SDS 20 line 60.]
110729 -
110730 -     The best test of a management program is whether the executives of
110731 -     the company that makes it uses it all day, as submitted to IBM at
110732 -     ref SDS 18 line 145.
110733 -
110734 -
110735 -
1108 -

SUBJECTS
Personnel, Training, Management Skills
Usability Engineering
Product Design, Productivity
Hypertext Subject Index, 910906
Relationships, Links & Maintenance Remembering (linked records)
gIBIS, 940527 Subject Index WBS Methodology
Fisheye Subject Indexing Usability/Entertainment are Dominate Design
KM Secret of SDS Design Unique Communication Metrics
Design Objectives Unique Design Relational Hierarchial
SDS Secret of KM Others Don't Have It
IBIS Organizes Record Lacks SDS Organic Subject Structure
IBIS and gIBIS Issue Based Information System Developed for Using the

3414 -
341501 -  ..
341502 - Subject Indexing, Fisheye Methods, Usability Engineering
341503 -
341504 - Under the general engineering design criteria called...
341505 -
341506 -                     Usability Engineering
341507 -
341508 -       [On 950710 reviewed book by Tom Landauer on who criticizes
341509 -       emphasis on Usability as design criteria, ref SDS 21 0585 and
341510 -       promotes "User centered" design at Bell Labs. ref SDS 21 6403]
341511 -
341512 - ...that applies the principle of...
341513 -
341514 -                           feedback
341515 -
341516 - ... author describes at ref OF 5 0577, the SDS "subject index" as a
341517 - means to find information with electronic citations.
341518 -
341519 -    ... provide location in information space but avoid showing a
341520 -    complete overview diagram of all nodes and links if the document is
341521 -    too large. For a large electronic handbook with a strict chapter-
341522 -    section-subsection hierarchy, ... show the current specific
341523 -    location against an indented list of the sub-heading hierarchy.
341524 -
341525 -    "Fish-eye-views" are accomplished with the hierarchically
341526 -    structured electronic book in which distant chapters can be
341527 -    displayed by their chapter heading only.  Closer chapters can show
341528 -    additional levels of section and subsection headings. ref OF 5 9622
341530 -  ..
341531 - Wonder if this person or anyone else has implemented this idea?
341532 -
341533 -           [On 950710 reviewed book by Tom Landauer who tried
341534 -           "Fish-eye" methods of subject identification at Bell Labs.
341535 -           ref SDS 21 0003]
341536 -
341538 -         ..
341539 -        gIBIS Using Linking and Feedback to Solve Wicked Problems
341540 -        -----------------------
341541 -        Author cites "gIBIS" as a system using hypertext to provide an
341542 -        "audit trail" of design decisions. ref OF 5 0754
341543 -
341544 -        A source on the Internet....
341546 -                         ..
341547 -                        The Electronic Labrynth
341548 -
341549 -
341550 -            http://www.iath.virginia.edu/elab/hfl0104.html
341551 -
341552 -
341553 -        ...says in the 1980s, Horst Rittel developed the Issue-Based
341554 -        Information System, a hypertext environment for the structured
341555 -        discussion of design issues. ref OF 23 OX5H  This system uses a
341556 -        stringent classification scheme to organize the data. There are
341557 -        three node types (issues, positions, arguments) and nine link
341558 -        types (responds-to, questions, supports, objects-to,
341559 -        specializes, generalizes, refers-to, replaces). These elements
341560 -        are designed to be used in the analysis of "wicked problems."
341561 -        According to Conklin:
341562 -
341563 -           Wicked problems lack a definitive formulation; their problem
341564 -           space cannot be mapped out without understanding the
341565 -           solution elements; in short, the only way to really
341566 -           understand a wicked problem is to solve it. (24),
341567 -           ref OF 23 JX6L
341569 -         ..
341570 -        Nodes are a unit of information from a larger record, such as a
341571 -        book, that pertains to a single idea, or concept. ref OF 24
341572 -        8R5H   Node might be a paragraph or several paragraphs, but can
341573 -        be larger. ref OF 24 QW6I
341574 -
341575 -            Thus, nodes are a crude application of SDS record segments
341576 -            explained in POIMS.
341577 -
341578 -
341580 -         ..
341581 -        Penny Wise Pound Foolish Talk is Cheap
341582 -        Cognitive Overhead Takes Time to Think Analyse Research
341583 -
341584 -        IBIS practices are discouraged by "cognitive overhead" that
341585 -        takes extra time for building organizational structure which
341586 -        must be maintained and applied to make information useful.
341587 -        ref OF 23 K29H  This aligns with Covey's view that "good
341588 -        management" habits essential for success are hard to form,
341589 -        reviewed on 921205. ref SDS 7 6013  Most people feel good
341590 -        management is unnecessary overkill, reported on 890809,
341591 -        ref SDS 2 6V66, because time for cognitive overhead invested
341592 -        today takes away from time to fix mistakes caused by failing to
341593 -        invest time last week, last month, and last year, i.e.,
341594 -        proactive management to be prepared for success by preventing
341595 -        mistakes and discovering opportunity seems "gold plated."
341596 -        (reported on 890324, ref SDS 1 WR9K)
341598 -         ..
341599 -        Bad management is penny wise and pound foolish.  Streamlining
341600 -        saves time and money by reducing cognitive overhead to work
341601 -        intelligently, and relying instead on conversation because
341602 -        talking is faster and easier than analysis to verify accuracy
341603 -        and discover opportunity, reported on 890809. ref SDS 2 I66H
341604 -
341605 -           [On 050517 PhD student requests support for doctorial paper
341606 -           on cognitive overhead; review cost savings based on theory
341607 -           of rework. ref SDS 32 NG5J
341609 -            ..
341610 -           [On 050517 case study cognitive overhead shows culture
341611 -           resists due diligence to collaborate, communicate,
341612 -           investigate, study, analyse, and verify accuracy that
341613 -           levearages experience for taking effective action, because
341614 -           people do not have time to think. ref SDS 32 PY4U
341616 -            ..
341617 -           [On 000307 Knowledge Management is another expression for
341618 -           cognitive overhead that takes a lot of hard work investing
341619 -           time to capture the record and organize information for
341620 -           understanding correlations, implications, and nuance --
341621 -           connecting the dots, and for finding critical details when
341622 -           needed. ref SDS 28 5182
341624 -            ..
341625 -           [On 970910 cognitive overhead allocating time to organize
341626 -           information reflects the common problem that people do have
341627 -           enough "time to think."  ref SDS 22 3479
341629 -            ..
341630 -           [On 990419 judicial review practices reduce burden of
341631 -           cognitive overhead for working intelligently using clear,
341632 -           concise, complete communication. ref SDS 23 2601
341634 -         ..
341635 -        SDS provides a flexible structure that saves a lot of time for
341636 -        creating and maintaining a useful record that is inherently
341637 -        well organized, explained in POIMS. ref OF 2 HP6J
341638 -
341639 -           [On 000218 IBIS limited usefulness, too rigid. ref SDS 26
341640 -           0785
341642 -            ..
341643 -           [On 000709 Bill DeHart reported SDS has better organization
341644 -           than using other methods. ref SDS 30 0052
341646 -            ..
341647 -           [On 010420 Jeff Conklin's work on organizational memory,
341648 -           ref SDS 31 MU7O, explains cognitive overhead requires time
341649 -           to create links and to decide when to open a links, which is
341650 -           managed by judicial review practices for clear, concise,
341651 -           complete communication. ref SDS 31 SU6K
341653 -         ..
341654 -        IBIS sounds like a system Chips uses that is hard to look up
341655 -        anything, discussed on 911121. ref SDS 5 5609
341657 -         ..
341658 -        Shows awareness of connecting information, but does not
341659 -        recognize other requirements for effective "intelligence,"
341660 -        explained in POIMS -- organization, chronology, alignment,
341661 -        analysis, summary connected to detail, and feedback.
341662 -        ref OF 2 0561
341664 -         ..
341665 -        Feedback is described as useful for customer evaluation of
341666 -        products. ref OF 5 5921
341667 -
341668 -           POIMS defines "feedback" as critical metric of
341669 -           communication. ref OF 2 0582  Challenge of effective
341670 -           feedback is discussed in NWO... ref OF 3 0936 and
341671 -           ref OF 3 2670
341673 -         ..
341674 -        Should send this person SDS information to see if they are
341675 -        interested in a way to accomplish objective for organizing the
341676 -        record.  He seems to have an internet id at ref OF 5 3061
341677 -
341678 -           [On 940720 followed up, ref SDS 19 0001, but never received
341679 -           feedback.
341681 -            ..
341682 -           [On 000218 gIBIS proposed for decision modeling. ref SDS 26
341683 -           0741]
341685 -            ..
341686 -           [On 000218 gIBIS program cited as knowledge management
341687 -           program. ref SDS 27 4345]
341689 -     ..
341690 -    Actually it is not clear what the author has in mind for the
341691 -    application.  He mentions an "electronic handbook" and a hierarchy
341692 -    of sub-headings, which may relate to organic structure of context,
341693 -    but he does not explain the application.
341695 -     ..
341696 -    Has anyone noticed that the "hierarchy" should be "organizational
341697 -    objectives" so we get automated MBO? per POIMS ref OF 2 1110
341698 -
341699 -          Author cites manuals, electronic encyclopedia, teaching
341700 -          classic Greek literature, brain storming support.
341701 -          ref OF 5 2094
341703 -     ..
341704 -    So as of 920301, no one has thought of the SDS application, because
341705 -    no one has stumbled onto the idea of integrating time and
341706 -    information to create automatic links, that then provide an
341707 -    environment for using hypertext and hierarchies of information
341708 -    identification.
341709 -
341710 -        [On 000116 SDS unique design for knowledge management.
341711 -        ref SDS 25 0877
341713 -         ..
341714 -        [On 000425 SDS has secret of KM design. ref SDS 29 0001
341715 -
341716 -
341717 -
341719 -  ..
341720 - SDS Advantages
341721 -
341722 - SDS provides a strong User interface to create and apply links to the
341723 - hierarchy.
341724 -
341725 - Hypertext is further explained at ref OF 5 4017, as a means to
341726 - accomplish SDS citations.
341727 -
341728 -    SDS appears to be an easier application, because hypertext seems to
341729 -    roam around without an anchor, leaving new windows open on the
341730 -    screen, which is the mess created by Windows and OS2.  Whereas, SDS
341731 -    links are anchored by time, objectives, people, function, document,
341732 -    and relationships to other information.  One array points to
341733 -    another.
341734 -
341735 -
341736 -
341737 -
3418 -

SUBJECTS
Thinking Through Writing
Intelligence Expands Span of Attention
Thinking Planning Investing Intellectual
Writing Improved Add Time Intelligence for
Writing to Understand Discover What We
Design Support

4508 -
450901 -  ..
450902 - Thinking Aloud
450903 - Thinking Through Writing Improves Design Process
450904 -
450905 - Author recognizes "Thinking Aloud" is a beneficial way for software
450906 - designers to understand what Users "think" about how a program works,
450907 - by verbalizing thoughts while using the program. ref OF 5 0876,
450908 -
450909 -     This is like thinking-through-writing, except instead of an
450910 -     engineer writing notes of what the user says about what the user
450911 -     is thinking, the engineer and/or the User write what they "think,"
450912 -     as explained in POIMS. ref OF 2 3742
450913 -
450914 - "Thinking aloud" is a method used by psychiatrists to capture thoughts
450915 - of patients. ref OF 5 0876
450917 -  ..
450918 - It was applied in a University of Washington experimental program to
450919 - improve critical thinking of students. ref SDS 3 0753
450920 -
450921 -     [On 990525 engineers want to jump ahead and create what pops into
450922 -     their head at the moment, on impulse, rather than think through
450923 -     implications and impacts of a design applied in various contexts,
450924 -     called the "big picture." ref SDS 24 0966]
450925 -
450926 -
450927 -
450928 -
450929 -
4510 -

SUBJECTS
Personnel, Training, Management Skills
Usability Engineering
Product Design, User Interface, GUI
User Interface
Learning period/difficulty

5007 -
500801 -  ..
500802 - Learning Incrementally
500803 - Software Should Permit Faster Application as Expertise is Gained
500804 -
500805 - Users "knowledge" grows and evolves.  Software should enable Users to
500806 - apply a program faster as they become "experts." ref OF 5 0786
500807 -
500808 -    SDS menus, mouse and function keys meet this objective.  Managers
500809 -    "grow" into more advanced management practice, principally through
500810 -    the Subject Index.  The range of SDS features (e.g. citations,
500811 -    subjects, record segments) requires a long time to recognize how
500812 -    the parts are applied.
500814 -     ..
500815 -    It is rare to find "expert" managers.  It turns out that much of
500816 -    the SDS capability is encountered by managers as they advance in
500817 -    their career.
500819 -     ..
500820 -    The process of anticipating the evolution of user needs, is
500821 -    reflected in an the article on Empathic Design, reviewed on 940508.
500822 -    ref SDS 13 6930
500823 -
500825 -  ..
500826 - Consistency
500827 -
500828 - Consistency for user between screens and situations is important, and
500829 - achieved by using common code, per ref OF 5 line 347 and also ref OF
500830 - 5 line 373.  Medit supports this objective by permitting code to be
500831 - used in different situations.
500832 -
500833 -
500835 -  ..
500836 - Competitive Products
500837 - Show Industry Standards
500838 -
500839 - Competing products are often the best prototypes of our own product.
500840 - ref OF 5 line 225.  This is accomplished in SDS marketing through the
500841 - "Competition" analysis that indicates what Users want.
500842 -
500843 -      The main thing they want is a bridge to the future, so they can
500844 -      use what they know to acquire insight about what they do not
500845 -      know, but need to know.
500846 -
500847 -
500848 -
5009 -