Blog Post #6 - Image Ready Or Not Ready?

Software Usability & User-Friendliness

Critique the usability/user friendliness of a software program that you use frequently. Illustrate with screen shots as is helpful.

Want to create images that can change like these?

I used Adobe ImageReady 7.0 to create layers and frames of overlapping images, tween or create transitions between the images, and then set the timings in between the transitions to animate the images.

Adobe ImageReady 7.0 is a very powerful software that allows user to create fantastic graphic effects such as layering, dithering, varying opacity, superimposing images, and animation, etc. However, I don't find that the software is user-friendly at all. There are many technical jargons such as dither, lossy, progressive, optimize, etc. that only make sense to graphic designers (but may be that the target audience of this software).

The main work area has a few floating palettes (see screenshot below). The floating palette on the left-hand side is very user-friendly. By looking at the icons, I know what are the functions that come with the icons, e.g. move, pen, brush, paint, text, etc. However, the four floating panels on the right-hand side are less straightforward. I don't know what they are used for and how to use them. All I want is to create images that change. But none of these tells me step-by-step how to do it. I have to read the Help menu to learn how to perform the tasks. But even so, it will take some practices to become proficient with the software.

I figured out that the Animation floating panel is the tool that will allow me to create images that change. So, I opened some photographs (see above screenshot) and tried to drag-and-drop them into the Animation panel. It didn't work! Errr ... this was frustrating! How will I be able to do it?

I went back to the Help menu only to learn that there is a hidden menu in the small arrow button at the top right-hand corner of the Animation panel (see screenshot below). "Who might have guess it?", I wondered. This hidden menu allows user to create new frames for animation, provided the different images have already been 'layered' in the original image file. Sounds confusing? Don't know what I'm saying? Yeah ... you must be thinking "Francis, what are you talking about?" This is exactly how I feel when I was reading the Help menu! Talk about user-friendliness!

GESTALT ANALYSIS

Despite my complains that the software has a lot of parts that will deliver what the user wants (I hope) but are not put in a user-friendly manner, it is congruent to Gestalt psychology (of how the whole is greater than the sum of its parts) to a certain extent:

• Law of Previous Experience - The overall layout of the work area, various floating palettes and panels, terminology used and symbols are the same for all other Adobe produces (e.g. Photoshop). Hence, it makes it easy for user to relate to this software due to their previous experience with Adobe. However, the drawback will be that new users who are not familiar with Adobe's symbols and terminologies will have a steep learning curve at the onset.
• Law of Similarity - Adobe uses the same icons and terminologies in all parts of the software, and some of them are also similar to those used by other software, e.g. the color palettes, shape selections and graphic tools are similar to those used by Microsoft Paint. This reduces the cognitive load placed on the users, even for new Adobe users.
• Law of Proximity- I thought Adobe scored well for this by putting all those related palettes/panels close together by default (see screenshot above), e.g. everything that does layering are put together in a panel, all graphic tools are grouped together in a palette on the left. This is just so that users know where to go to perform certain tasks.
• Law of Contiguity - I find Adobe did not score very high for this. Using the animation creation example I mentioned above, ImageReady 7.0 does not guide user step-by-step to perform this task. But there again, this software has many other functions (not limiting to animation creation alone) that it may be difficult to do so.
• Law of Closure - I think there are too many information gaps in this software and users may not be able to have 'information closure' based on what is presented on the screen. Unless you are very proficient with using it, the mind will be overloaded trying to figure out these gaps. Repeated referencing to the Help menu can frustrate the user.

WHAT JAKOB NIELSON MIGHT SAY?

Jakob will label a software a failure if it (1) solves the wrong problem, (2) has wonderful tools that does not solve the problem, or (3) has tools that are too complex. I don't think he will label Adobe ImageReady 7.0 a failure since it does perform the functions it was designed to do, and has wonderful tools that help users perform the necessary functions. He may argue that the tools are complicated for new users to understand how to use it at the onset, but not to the extent to render the software a failure. He may suggest to Adobe to examine how Pinnacle has made Studio 10 so easy and user-friendly to perform its movie making function with its simple "Capture-Edit-Make Movie" steps and see if such procedures may be customized for ImageReady 7.0.

COMING SOON ... FEB 28, 2008

So how to create images that change? Check out this blog posting this coming Feb 28 for a tutorial (created using Captivate 3.0) that will guide you step-by-step to create such animation.

HAPPY PRESIDENT'S DAY

Since today is President's Day, here is another treat ... another 2 Great American Podcasts by Sonya and Ethan ... to tell the stories of George Washington (America's first President) and Abraham Lincoln.

The origin of this holiday was to commemorate George Washington's birthday (February 22, 1732) in 1796 (the last full year of his presidency). Later in 1865, the first formal observance was held in honor of Abraham Lincoln, another revered President, who was born on February 12. That was the year after his assassination. Eventually, the third Monday in February is designated as President's Day, a day for honoring both Washington and Lincoln, as well as all the other men who have served as president.

And yes, I got Sonya her little pony!