The Case for the Radically Simple Interface and Intelligent Information System
Introduction
1.1 In considering the functionality gap between human beings and information systems, it is helpful to analyse three separate but related elements:
- The user interface
- The metadata and
- The data
1.2 I use the term "functionality gap" as being neutral, expressing the idea that both the human being and the information system can improve their performance, the former through acquiring skills and the latter by improving design in such a way that the skills requirement is reduced. This even handed approach runs directly counter to most public policy rhetoric which implicitly assigns the failure in the human/information systems interface to humans. Most public policy is focused on training and skills acquisition rather than imposing high design standards through the leverage of public procurement. This is both wasteful and harmful; wasteful because public and private sector funding are spent on teaching people how to circumvent the consequences of bad design, harmful because training concentrates on the minute procedures required to complete a task rather than on the general principles of applications.
1.3 Microsoft no doubt possesses research data on the percentage of its operating systems and applications features used by purchasers but it would be surprising if it were more than 20%. In other words, products are over engineered for their tasks; they are not fit for purpose.