metacard digest, Vol 1 #604 - 14 msgs

[Dan Shafer]

Richard Maclemale wrote:

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What do I conclude from all of this?  A good software solution must satisfy
 the following elements:
 1.  Be extremely easy to use
 2.  Solve a problem that people want solved
 3.  Make something normally difficult extremely easy
 4.  Be "sold" (evangelized) well
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That about says it for me. And there's an interesting correllation between 1 and 2. The higher the pain threshhold (i.e., the more urgent and/or important the problem), the less concerned the user is with usability or, to put it differently, the more effort the user is willing to expend to learn it.

I think 2 & 3 say basically the same thing from different angles.

So I'd make an aphorism out of the list:

Solve a problem some audience finds important, and make it as easy as possible (but no easier) for people to use your solution, then spread the word.

I would contend that most Web "apps" (most of which are forms-based interfaces to databases and other information) are not all that easy to use. But they solve a problem the user is known to have by virtue of the fact that s/he voluntarily arrived at your site.