My principal interest in mobile applications is to push the boundaries of innovation to create uniquely mobile experiences. I hope my blogs excite and challenge developers to think 'outside the box'.
Is it better to make things worse?
coultonp | 10 November, 2006 16:05
Whilst discussing mobile applications design with some of my students I remembered the contentious programming paradigm from my undergraduate days “worse is better” by Richard P. Gabriel which was a challenge to the “more is less” philosophy prevalent at the time. Richards paradigm was that an application should be simple in both implementation and interface, and he goes further in saying that correctness, completeness, and consistency should give way to simplicity.
In the current fragmented mobile market there could be an argument in favour of this approach in that many of the enabling technologies emerging and amalgamating into mobile are not always technologically and functionally the best. Therefore we may have to choose worse to make some things better.
Though it might be nice to throw something contentious into the ring for the weekendJ
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Re: Is it better to make things worse?
coultonp | 12/11/2006, 16:26
HarttiMy thoughts were primarily around the fact that we shouldnt waste time arguing which development environment is best (Symbian, J2mE Flash, Python, etc) but accept a simple solution with some compromises in design can often be more acceptable to users than increasing the complexity to gold plate the application functionality.
In terms of the device functionality I tend to have different mobiles for different aspects of my life. I like my new 5500 when I am out and about generally as its a great size and easy to use whereas I use my E61 only when I may need email or IM whilst travelling.
The whole thing about better or worse is a subjective one anyway but I think as a design philosophy keeping things that are simple often works.
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My principal interest in mobile applications is to push the boundaries of innovation to create uniquely mobile experiences. I hope my blogs excite and challenge developers to think 'outside the box'.
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Re: Is it better to make things worse?
hartti | 11/11/2006, 22:40
If yes, I am all for that (of course with some exceptions :-)
Some people might like their phone to do do everything, but I would prefer to have a couple of devices which I can selectively cary with me. Of course those devices shold be designed for that one specific purpose only.
For example, having the phone and music player in the same device is not important to me. If I need portable music, I do not usually want to have phone calls coming in (I am either jogging, bicycling, in the gym, or something like that). Of course the weight is less and less of a problem nowadays, but the device UI with multiple different functionalities will be (always) a compromise. Hence, one device, one purpose for me :-)
Hartti