TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Re: Question about Programmers and Usability -Reply
Subject:Re: Question about Programmers and Usability -Reply From:Kris Olberg <kjolberg -at- IX -dot- NETCOM -dot- COM> Date:Sun, 1 Mar 1998 22:29:39 -0600
IThis thread has generated some unfair generalizations about programmers. Some of us DO worry about usability. Not all of us are arrogant. Some of us consider UI design interesting and challenging.
Before cutting us programmers to shreds, consider this: programmers deal with many of the same issues as writers--tight schedules, not enough info, skimpy resources ... In the end, we are under much more pressure to make the software work correctly than we are to spend time on usability. (Don't get me wrong--I'm not saying we're under more pressure than writers.)
It's the responsibility of management to differentiate between the tasks of designing a UI and coding software. Often, good coders are expected to be good UI designers and vice versa. Unfortunately, so many of us are equipped to do one or the other but not both. Or we're capable of both but don't have the resources.
For those who wish you were doing the UI design: Be careful about what you wish for ... you just might get it.
Regards...Kris
----
kolberg -at- actamed -dot- com
kris -at- olberg -dot- com
