windows 8: does microsoft have a lesson to learn about ux?

Does Microsoft have a lesson to learn about UX?

Windows 8 is finally here

What’s new?

14 people

London

Norwich

20 min sessions

Range of people

Windows users

Lots of opinions but what do real users think? We wanted to find out... ...so we conducted research

Not your traditional usability test Go: Navigating freely Do: Completing common tasks React: Initial impressions Reflect: Opinions

So what did we get out of the research? !

Steep learning curve: Everything is an app Key actions are hidden / It’s unconventional

Initial reactions were mixed

Initial reactions were mixed

Modern, fun and dynamic

Looks and feels like a Mac

“It’s fun. Relaxed like web pages.”!Female, Actor, London

“The icons look nice and fresh and modern.”!

Male, Student, Norwich

“It’s like an iPhone where you scroll through your apps… It feels quicker and it is quicker as you don’t have to double click icons.”!

Female, Actor, London

“Mac drives me mental as I don’t know what I’m doing.”!

Female, Lawyer, London

“The bar had loads of stuff on it... ended up

really thick.”

“How do I get the address bar back?... I’m scared to

click.”

“My back button has disappeared now. Everything has gone again. Where has it gone. It’s all disappeared.”!

Female, Retired, Norwich

“Overly simplified to the point where it’s quite confusing.”

What people did: Browsing the web !SimplifiedMixed reactions to auto-hiding

“It’s offputting... clicking where you couldn’t before”“I’d expect something next to it that

indicates if you click, something will happen.”!

Female, Lawyer, London

What people did: Sharing contentSearch and share are no longer in-app ‘Hot corners’ hide core functionality...and so do the visuals

“Things come in from everywhere!”

What people did: Finding and editing documentsOff to a great startBetter productivity in desktop: faster, more comfortableThat is until moving to another task...

“Ah... that’s the first familiar thing I’ve seen.”

“That’s not where I thought I’d be when I clicked

the cross.”

“I feel like a baby”"!

“...can’t even do simple things...”

“...can’t launch IE...”"!

“...can’t type in the address...”"“...can’t use tabs...”

The user journey starts on the migration path"!

Overall UX? The jury is still out We thought it was all about the UX We discovered it was all about the learning

“...really bad...”"“...not clear at all...”"

!“... XP to 7 was really clear...”

Thank you !

Matt Radbourne @mradbourne radbourne.me foolproof.co.uk

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anirudhkoul/3786725982/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/bvdkruk/5744257462/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoharma/115438434/