User Preferences

Examples:

Word, Excel, Netscape, and other desktop GUI applications
Cars that save "user profiles" with seat positions, mirror angles, etc.
Java's multiple look-and-feels, for use in GUI software

Context: The artifact will be used by people with differing abilities, cultures, and tastes.

Problem: How does the artifact present the actions that the user may take?

Forces:

The user may not be able to use this artifact because of the language / font size / etc.
The user may want some degree of aesthetic control over the artifact.
Users get a sense of ownership and control over an artifact by modifying it.
The user probably doesn't want to have to reconstruct their preferences every time they start a new session with the artifact.

Solution: Provide a place or working surface where users can pick their own settings for things like language, fonts, icons, color schemes, and use of sound. Allow users to save those preferences, so that they don't have to spend time setting them up again, but do this per user if multiple people will use it. Build the artifact itself to support such preferences. Devise a set of alternative "canned settings" that users can choose between, if they don't like the default and don't want to spend hours picking out good combinations.

Consider users who deal with these common issues, among others:

Primary languages other than English
Colorblind
Visually impaired (most are not 100% blind; large fonts and high contrast help)
Hearing impaired
RSI (repetitive stress injuries) -- many people cannot easily use their hands

Resulting Context: These are commonly presented as a Form of some kind, or as a Control Panel.

Notes: There's a lot to be said about assistive technologies, particularly as they relate to computer artifacts, but space is short. It would be interesting to study successful uses of them and see what patterns can be found. (Are they already in this language?)

Comments to: jtidwell@alum.mit.edu
Last modified May 17, 1999