m10 forgiveness

Differences Between Humans and Machines

  • Humans are inherently different from machines in several key aspects.
    • One significant difference is that humans are error-prone.
    • We will always make mistakes, thus interfaces need to account for this.

Characteristics of a Forgiving Product

  • A good interface aims to assist users rather than punish them for mistakes.
  • Key aspects of a forgiving product include:
    • Strong Affordances
    • Provides clear indications of what actions users should take.
    • Reversal of Actions
    • Allows users to undo actions, thereby correcting mistakes made.
    • Confirmation Requests
    • Asks users to confirm actions, reducing the risk of errors.
    • It is important to note that overuse of this aspect can lead to frustration, as discussed in the heuristics lesson.
    • Warnings for Serious Actions
    • Alerts users if they are about to perform an action with serious consequences.
    • Assistance and Instructions
    • Offers guidance if the interface is complex or provides recovery instructions for errors.

Example of Unforgiving Interaction

  • Payzone Example
    • Payzone provides a service for paying parking fees via SMS.
    • Correct Format: "park [zone] [minutes]"
    • Example of Mistake: Typing "parking yellow 45" instead of "park yellow 45".
    • Consequence of Mistake: The interaction fails, risking a parking ticket as the user does not receive text message notifications.
    • Suggestion: Payzone could implement more forgiving features by making educated guesses about user intent.

Example of Forgiving Interaction

  • Google as a Model for Forgiveness
    • Google Software Examples:
    • Email Attachment Reminder:
      • User forgets to attach a document, Google warns them before sending the email.
      • Benefits: Increases user goodwill towards Google for preventing errors.
    • File Deletion in Google Drive:
      • Confirms deletion action and provides an option to undo the deletion.

Importance of Strong Affordances

  • Strong affordances also enhance the user experience in another practical domain:
    • Electrical Plug Design:
    • Design of plugs and sockets prevents incorrect insertion, making it impossible to use them incorrectly.