I'm a blind student who's taking a required UI class. One of the assignments is to take screen shots of both a good and bad application user interface and comment on what's good and bad about it. I'll have a reader help describe the interface to me but would like pointers on applications to check out. They must be windows apps. In answers I'd like a link to the application as well as brief comments on what to focus on in the UI, for example color scheme is horrible, badly labeled controls, cluttered layout, etc.
+2
A:
A little bit old, but quite well written, with plenty of examples: http://homepage.mac.com/bradster/iarchitect/shame.htm
Heartless Angel
2009-01-23 04:14:12
+1 for UI Hall of Shame. It sure would be nice to see a successor site with current examples!
moodforaday
2009-01-23 20:00:52
I think the jury is still out on Office 2007. I still have trouble finding functions and witness many other experiencing similar frustration.
Jim Anderson
2009-01-23 19:59:05
+5
A:
An interface experience for a Blind person is a relevant aspect of UI design. If I were in your position I wouldn't focus so much on the visual aspect of user interfaces. Go from your personal experience. What is an application that you, as a blind person had a great degree of difficulty using? What applications are a joy to use?
If I were in your teacher's position, I would find such descriptions far more valuable than an attempt at pretending as though you can see, and that things like colors or fonts are relevant to you. (unless you are only partially blind, in which case font size may indeed be a relevant factor)
There are a great many people in my field that are keenly and constantly interested in such testimonials and evaluations from blind people. Not just in an academic context. I work for a government organisation that is required to make its resources accessible to disabled people. Don't sell your own perspective short, just because of a poorly worded assignment.
Breton
2009-01-23 04:23:29
That's a point but as a programmer I need to learn how to create user interfaces that are usable for all people even if it's just for prototypes. That's why I'm interested in the visual aspect although I'll probably start blogging about accessibility.
Jared
2009-01-23 04:37:53
+1 for this answer. UI is User Interface, not screen design. For you, as a blind person, the interface you deal with is different to that of a sighted user. I'd approach the question from this point of view. Good vs. Bad UI is very subjective. Notepad might be good UI for some, bad for others, and for the same reasons.
Martin Peck
2009-04-21 00:46:10
A:
As far as Windows applications go, I like Microsoft Outlook as a positive example UI. The layout of Microsoft Outlook has been imitated in a lot of other software. It allows/facilitates quick and easy navigation and searching of a variety of information with very little user effort. It allows the user to see their information in different formats (message preview, list,est.) and to adjust the UI to meet their needs and make the information that is most valuable to them most prevalent/easily acceptable.
Jim Anderson
2009-01-23 19:57:30
A:
I have to assume that you have already done this assignment, but I want to give Breton a thumbs-up for his suggestion. If there is one thing that is most often overlooked, it is consideration for visually impaired users. I often steer aspiring web developers to http://colorfilter.wickline.org/ so that they can run their pages through the various filters. If one takes a screen shot of their application, they can embed it in a web page and run it through the tester also.