[jsword-devel] Usability testing ...

[Don Parris]

Mark Goodwin wrote:
> On Tue, 24 Aug 2004 06:08:23 +0100, Joe Walker <joseph.walker at gmail.com> wrote:
> <snip/>
> 
>>- Remember the tar.jar failure to download/validate on MacOSX? The
>>problem is not MacOSX but JDK 1.4.1, Which will probably mean quite a
>>few MacOS users since that has been the default for a while (Mark?)
> 
> 
> I think some 10.2 users, and most 10.3 users will be running 1.4.1
> 
> 
>>- We need some sort of wizard to run when we start to help users
>>download their first book. It could be as simple as a dialog box
>>explaining what to do.
> 
> 
> Agreed.
> 
> 
>>- A language filter on the books download dialog would be really useful.
> 
> 
> Definately.
> 
I might add that it would be useful for users to see in the Books dialogue 
just how big a module is before they decide to download it.  Not a big deal 
if you have broadband, but a lot of folks - like me - still use dial-up. 
Imagine my surprise when I discover that module I want is 8MB, rather than 
the more typical 1-4MB.

> 
>>- The splash and desktop icons look naff. (I've got some artwork that
>>I've been meaning to spruce up a bit)
> 
> 
> The icons fit right in with the metal look'n'feel.  We could probably
> use a different set for each major platform.
> 
> 
>>- The function of the tabs might be more obvious if they were there
>>from the start. Some discussion on this might be useful, though
>>because it does help to unclutter the place.
> 
> 
> Not sure about this.
> 
> 
>>-The whole function of the passage list sidebar is confusing. The
>>opening sequence after installation of books went: "click on reading,
>>look at text, click on > to open passage list sidebar, select passage,
>>get confused, click delete, get repeating error messages requiring jvm
>>restart. I think that bar can be useful, maybe we need to hide it a
>>bit more so that it is only found by the more advanced users that will
>>make use of it? And maybe we need some sort of explanation as to what
>>blur does, and why it will do nothing to a whole chapter.
> 
> 
> I really like the sidebar; I think searches would be less useful
> without it.  I think we need to fix it and hide it better.
> 
I agree with Mark on the sidebar.  As a minister, I think it's really nice - 
I can select the verses that I think are most relevant to my search (I may 
already have some idea of what I'm looking for).  The problem I have is that 
  clicking on a verse does not produce what I would have expected.

For example, searching on the word neighbor brought up Acts 7:27.  Clicking 
on Acts 7:27 pulled up the whole of Chapter 7.  I would have expected to see 
v. 27 at the top of the result pane.  It would even be useful to see it in 
its context in the result pane - i.e., within the passage it belongs to.

The On-Line Bible (hope you don't mind me comparing) offers a result pane 
showing the verses referenced.  Clicking on the verse (or verse #) results 
in that verse being displayed in its context in a second pane.  The user can 
then scroll through to see the whole chapter if desired.  In short, it works 
more like a concordance.

Your current approach is great - arguably better.  I say better because the 
verse sidebar allows one to quickly pull up the alternative results. 
However, the result one gets is what will win your users over.  If I can get 
my verse within its context, I'm all the better for it.  To be able to open 
different verses/passages in different tabs would be really cool - 
especially for us note keepers.

Finding passage, instead of whole chapters, might be a challenge, but I 
think that's sort of the idea behind "blur".
> 
>>- The difference between Search and Match are not explained, and many
>>people will expect search to be able to do what Match does anyway -
>>Maybe match is just a mis-feature? (and if so should be switch to
>>Lucene indexing?)
> 
> 
> I don't think match is a mis-feature.  I use it more than plain search.

You use it more than plain search because you know what it does.  I'm 
lookin' at it, and it's lookin' at me.  I think I understand, but I'm just 
not sure.  It might be a great feature - I don't know.  One thing that would 
be really useful is a good introductory help file.  The main thing is to 
explain how to use the search/match functions.  Most everything else has 
been pretty intuitive so far.

Hope this is helpful.

Don

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