Ted Patrick > { Events & Community } > Adobe Systems

Central has a usability problem in that it forces a new use pattern on the end user that is counter to how desktop applications work on the native operating system.\0

In writing my first few Central applications, I discovered some usability problems with the Central model and wanted to shared my experience. Central has a usability problem in that the platform forces users into thinking in terms of a single application execution. In several cases, end users could not tell a Central application from a desktop app. The end user would wrongly assume that Central applications used the same paradigm as is standard on Windows and Mac as follows:

1. I select an application to launch.
2. The platform launches an application instance into a separate window.
3. I use the application as needed
4. I close the application when I am done.

Central doesn't work this way and in several cases confuses the end user to the point of having a bad experience especially in regard to loss of application state.

In Central the primary navigation sits atop every application instance. This would be equivalent of an instance of the OSX Dock or Windows Start menu sitting on top of every running application. This only serves to confuse the end user as if they click on another application, the current application is replaced within the same window. Also management of multiple windows is poor in that if an application does not have an instance running, the top application window gets overwritten. This forces applications to be written in a fundamentally different manner in terms of application state. Developers are forced to write applications that constantly maintain state as at any moment another application can overwrite your application instance.

If the end user were performing a sophisticated task like writing a blog entry or editing a website, their work could be instantly lost due to another applications execution. These errors seemed to be compounded by notifications and pods, as apps are overwritten when action is taken on these items unless an instance of the other application is active. As we see more data interaction within Central, this will most likely compound the problem even further.

This presents developers with a problem as depending on how you maintain state in your application (if at all), this can ruin your end users experience as state is wiped clean during the execution of another app whether intended or unintended.

Say I were to make a Business Card RIA for Central where you can make your own business cards, order them, and physical cards come via mail. In the card design process, my application would save state with every single end user change. As a developer, I should be constantly saving state as should an instant message or a tornado warning appear, my application state is toast. In this regard, it is the app developers responsibility to save the users work, not end users. Currently there is not a way to present a dialog and stall the overwriting of an application instance or force an application into a new window. This will simply limit the range of applications we will see on Central.

If this were the case on OSX or Windows, they would be ineffective as a platform as users would constantly be loosing work. Can you imagine:

I am using Excel working on my annual budget, an instant message appears, I click on it and Excel is replaced with AIM deleting my unsaved work.

Ideally having a Central Menu launch independent application instances would be the best way around the problem. This is especially true if the Central Navigation is removed from every application instance providing less distraction from the end user task at hand. This would allow Central apps to parallel the execution of desktop apps and the end user would not get confused in the process.

Presenting another application paradigm to the end user that is out of sync with the native OS is a mistake in my opinion. Sure Central is different but fighting desktop use patterns will only limit the applications that are built on Central and its success as a platform.

Cheers,

ted ;)