Microsoft Kinect
“This difference in usage circumstances means that consoles can rely less on having a self-explanatory UI, whereas a mobile UI must have extremely high learnability.” Jakob Nielsen in Kinect Gestural UI: First Impressions
Nielsen uses a comparison chart to demonstrate how issues of usability differ in levels of concern for the user depending upon the context of use. According to Nielsen, Kinect, a game console that employs human gestures as it’s user interface, does have several weak usability areas. For example the games rely on human memory for game instructions as no visual help is afforded during play. Related is the inconsistency of feedback. However, Nielsen takes this opportunity to illustrate the different levels of importance assigned to certain usability issues. These may depend on the goals of the user in a specific situation. An extreme example, he suggests, is the possible difference in consequences of user error caused by less than attentive design, development and testing of the product: “your avatar ‘dies’ and restarts a level” or you “lose your job and investments.” Jakob Nielsen
This concept has great transference value to my future teaching practice: the efficacy and value of including certain technological processes and products may need to be considered in relation to the specific learning/teaching goals desired. What may not be appropriate for one educational setting/student need(s) may be very acceptable in another despite perceived areas of usability weakness or imperfection.
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