Conference 7.286::digital

Do these tests take place in any other location than AKO (where-ever
that is!!) I am assuming its in the US and its very difficult to just
drop in from England and give some international input to your human
factors! in items like date entry etc!!

Gerald

    
    re 3898.1
    
    I think a valid concern is expressed in this note.  We were recently
    criticized by a German customer who had an opportunity to
    preview an interface design.  This was *after* the design had undergone
    an I18N review.
    
    Perhaps you could advertise in student newspapers for visiting non-US
    students as test subjects?  Maybe even offer a small payment of $50 for
    the time.  The value of the testing would far outweigh the cost.
    
    Regards,
    
    Colin
    
    
    

  I agree with the previous replies that we need to find a way to include 
non-U.S. people in these tests. Here are some reasons:

1. Due to cultural differences, non-U.S. people may see things differently,
whether they speak English as a native language or not. For example, an icon
that is perfectly clear to Americans may be unclear to non-U.S. users or,
worse, may have an indecent meaning in certain foreign countries.

2. In non-U.S. English-speaking countries, certain words and phrases in the
user interface may be confusing, due to different dialects of English being
spoken there.

3. People who have limited knowledge of English may have trouble with the U.I.
Of course, some products are internationalized, including non-English-language
user interfaces, but many are not.

  Since we have several large Digital facilities in the U.K., it seems like it
would be fairly simple to do some of our usability testing there. It might 
even be possible to do so without anyone traveling from here to there to set
up and run the tests.

>2. In non-U.S. English-speaking countries, certain words and phrases in the
>user interface may be confusing, due to different dialects of English being
>spoken there.
    
    You mean like "Putting Prozac on Corn Flakes"? (Apparently a
    quaint custom practiced in certain parts of Texas).

>    You mean like "Putting Prozac on Corn Flakes"? (Apparently a
>    quaint custom practiced in certain parts of Texas).
    
    (Roelof...shhhh....we only serve it to company!) :^]
    
    								Tex

��       <<< Note 3898.6 by DPDMAI::EYSTER "Livin' on refried dreams..." >>>
��                          -< keep the secrets, man! >-

��>    You mean like "Putting Prozac on Corn Flakes"? (Apparently a
��>    quaint custom practiced in certain parts of Texas).

    I think I can see an ad campaign here:

    	"You'd have to eat six bowls of corn flakes to get the
    	 prozac of one bowl of total".

    
    > You mean like "Putting Prozac on Corn Flakes"? (Apparently a
    > quaint custom practiced in certain parts of Texas).
    
    I'm surprised that they can see at that distance, let alone hit
    it with a putter.

    Hear, hear!!! In the course of the recent years, Digital first closed
    the Local Engineering Groups in all countries, then most of the
    Localization Centers, thus diminishing the International Systems 
    Engineering (ISE) groups to a mere nothing... and now people wonder 
    how to get simple I18N input about user interfaces from 
    "international" people. 
    
    The first move brought me into ISE, the second move brought me out
    of Digital (which I still find rather sad) - the latest problems make
    me grin.
    
    I'm looking forward to the announcement of a major re-engineering
    effort in Digital and the establishment of national Local Engineering
    Groups ;-)
    
    Tsch�ssi
    Regina
                                                               

    re: -1
    
    <I'm looking forward to the announcement of a major re-engineering
    <effort in Digital and the establishment of national Local Engineering
    <Groups ;-)
    
    
    just wait 'till after the new gymnasium, expanded shower facility and
    basketball courts are built at PKO3 this summer.  I'm sure you'll se
    some other major re-engineering then.... 
    
    tony

    Is this new interface an OOBE interface or a specific interface for an
    application? I assume that the test will be conducted under WIN95,
    since anything else wouldn't make much since for a PC product. Perhaps
    this is a Bob replacement or a Bob companion. Digital coming out with a
    PC Interface outside of those choices wouldn't make much sense.
    
    -OFWAMI-

>    just wait 'till after the new gymnasium, expanded shower facility and
>    basketball courts are built at PKO3 this summer.  I'm sure you'll se
    
  Sorry to rathole this topic, but is this really happening?

    I don't think we're going to be able to call it a "gymnasium" - they
    are taking one of the smoking rooms (somewhere over in the opposite
    corner of the building, I'm not sure where it even is) and making it
    the aerobics room, with floor mats.  And they are putting in some
    more showers, and putting up a basketball hoop.  The smoking room near
    the cafeteria is about 4x the size of my cube, which wouldn't make a
    very good aerobics room unless the classes are a lot smaller than they
    used be back when I had time to do that sort of thing, but maybe the
    other room is larger.  Oh, I think there is or will be a volleyball net
    somewhere outside also.
    
    /Charlotte (PKO3 denizen)
    

    I believe the note said exercise room... I may have assumed this meant
    there would be weights and exercise equipment.  If not, then the word
    gymnasium is probably an overstatment.
    
    Tony
    (who was originally miffed at the prospect, but now realises that this
    is perhaps one more indication that DEC -er- Digital is moving in the
    right direction and is, in fact, trying to make PKO a better place to
    work for ALL of us... and there are something like 2400 folk working in
    this facilty)
    
    Now, if they could just get the water right!  ;^)

    	Wow, a basketball hoop? That's a great idea. That's what we need
    here at Spitbrook. Maybe we could put it near the new 9-hole executive
    golf course. Actually, the golf course is just a rumor that I'm
    starting right now. I tried the subtle approach already, and that
    didn't seem to go anywhere. I was walking around in front of ZK3 with
    my bag and clubs, asking all passersby if they had seen a Top Flight 4.
    A couple of people looked around, like they were trying to figure out
    where the green might be.

    Steve, are you taking Tee-times?
    
    				-John

    Isn't it amazing how every usability study callup always ratholes
    immediately in the the most wonderful ways. There's got to be
    a deeper truth in this somewhere...

    Uh-oh, it would appear that someone has taken a bit too much of their
    medication again.... ;-)
    
    Harry
    

    Re: .17
    
    Sure, John, we can make it a foursome if you bring along some of your
    cousins/parents/brothers/sisters...and I'll bring the sheep.