[Usability]3 of 3: Suggestions for Both Projects

[JP Schnapper-Casteras <jp_sc yahoo com>]

Dear KDE and GNOME Usability Lists,

     Here are some common suggestions for both the GNOME and KDE
Usability Projects:

1) A resource site called the Desktop Usability Resource spoT (DURT)
should be created.  This should be a central spot to find information
about the usability of free desktops and should ideally be hosted by
someplace like www.freedesktop.org.  (I will send a mockup of the web
site I've created to the list soon).  The site should also host a the
"Common Human Interface Guidelines".  This common document should
include common usability principles that everyone should know. 
Additionally, the document should contain GNOME Guidelines, KDE
Guideliens, and Guidelines for other desktops (all different,
desktop-specific, and written by their respective desktop's usability
project).  Finally there should be a section of the document on the
commonalities shared between the GNOME and KDE guidelines.  The
benefits of having one resource site, one URL, and one spot for
applications developers to find guidelines for multiple desktops are
great.


2) Intregate the "KDE User Interface Guidelines" and the "GNOME Human
Interface Guidelines" with the DURT Common HIG.  (Note: the projects
still retain their respective guidelines and still develop them as they
 see fit).


3) Focus suggestions

Conducting group conversations about an application's UI over a mailing
list can be problematic.  It's very high traffic, hard to keep up with
or catch up on, and has various levels of productivity.

Let's re-institute the idea of reports, except in a different form:
Working Documents that develop into Reccomendations.

a) Whenever someone has suggestions about an application's UI, they go
into a working document about that application.  (This eliminates the
sometimes daunting situation of one person trying to write a
comprehensive usability report on an application.)

b) The Working Document (e.g., "KControl Working Document") is
discussed and debated on the mailing list.  E-mails' subjects should
indicate the document being discussed (e.g., "Working Doc - KControl:
Appearances Section").  (Replace "KControl" with "GNOME Control Center"
to get the same effect :-)

c) When the group feels there is some consensus with the working
document, it is slimmed down into a Reccomendation document, which will
gets sent to the application's developers.


4) Focus communication with developers

When developers are contacted about usability issues in their
applications:

a) Everyone needs to agree that the Usability Project should contact
the developer (as a group).

b) There needs to be a standard way to contact them (e.g., a single
e-mail with a somewhat standard form with the Reccomendation document
attached).

c) Communication between the developers and the group need to be public
(for the most part) and unified (i.e., it's very bad if the developer
asks a question and five people respond with different answers --
decide and the have one response).


5) Web-based "Status" and "TODO"

Keep a web based "Status" and "TODO" section of usability project web
sites.  If any part of the web site needs to be regularly updated, it's
this.  In the "Status" page, list the status of Working Documents and
draft versions of the guideliens.  Also, include the status of
communications with developers (when appropriate) and of the
intregations of suggestions (i.e., how many of our reccomendations have
been taken).


6) Intra-Project Communication

a) When in doubt, communicate (sorry it doesn't rhyme :-).

b) Have a frequent (monthly ?) meetings on IRC within each Usability
project.  Use an agenda of some sort.

c) Have semi-frequent (monthly ?) meeting on IRC with representatives
from both / several usability projects.  Use an agenda of some sort.

c) Have teleconference (I'm trying to arrange funds for this).


7) Presentation

Consider having a workshop at the next GNOME / KDE Conference or event.



Once again, comments and questions are welcome.

Thank you all for your work.

Best,

--JP Schnapper-Casteras

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