Why Modern Interfaces Leave Dinobabies Lost in Space
December 14, 2023
This essay is the work of a dumb dinobaby. No smart software required.
Until the advent of mobile phones, I paid zero attention to interfaces. As a dinobaby, I have well-honed skills remembering strings of commands. I would pump these into the computing device via a keyboard or a script and move on with the work. Now, when a new app arrives, I resist using it. The reasons are explained quite well in “Modern iOS Navigation Patterns.” I would suggest that the craziness presented clearly in the essay be extended to any modern interface: Desktop anchor, zippy tablet, or the look-alike mobiles.
The dinobaby says, “How in the world do I send a picture to my grandson?” Thanks, MSFT Copilot. Did you learn something with the Windows phone interface?
The write up explains and illustrates the following types of “modern” iOS interfaces. I am not making these up, and I am assuming that the write up is not a modern-day Swiftian satire. Here we go:
- Structural navigation with these options or variants: Drill down, flat, pyramid, and hub and spoke
- Overlay navigations with these options or variants: High friction, low friction, and non-modal (following along?)
- Embedded navigation with these options or variants: State change, step by step, or content driven (crystal clear, right?)
Several observations. I want an interface to deliver the functions the software presents as its core functionality. I do not want changing interfaces, hidden operations, or weirdness which distracts me from the task which I wish to accomplish.
What do designers do when they have to improve an interface. Embrace one of the navigation approaches, go to meetings, decide on which to use and where. When the “new” interface comes out, poll users to get feedback. Ignore the dinobabies who say, “You are nuts because the app is unusable.”
Stephen E Arnold, December 14, 2023
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