Dec 11 2008
Everyday Usability – Help my mouse doesn’t work!
Last week I got a new laptop and, for some reason, on my kitchen table (where I do most my work), my wireless USB mouse will not work properly with the new laptop. It works fine on every other surface *and* it works fine on the kitchen table when it’s plugged into my old laptop. Weird.
To troubleshoot, I open up the mouse properties and click on the hardware tab thinking that I need to reset some preferences. I click “troubleshoot” and it sends be through the little troubleshooting wizard. I hate these wizards, but I want to get to the bottom of the problem so I answer the first question.
And then the usability issue is screaming at me … the next question looks like this:
Notice anything weird? The “next” button is on the left. I pushed “start over” twice! Yes, twice. The first time I pushed it and realized what I had done and made a mental note. The next time I was presented with this screen, I still hit “start over.” Mentally, I knew where the buttons were and I still hit the wrong button. I just automatically hit the “start over” button without even thinking.
Remember Steve Krug’s book, Don’t Make Me Think? This wizard is doing just that … making me think.
How about this:
Such a simple thing can make so much difference.
If you’re advancing to the next screen, the “next” button should always be on the right. Likewise, the “back” button should always be on the left. There is no reason to have a “start over” button as long as there is a “back” button (especially if the wizard is short). This is like the “reset” button on forms. Jakob Nielsen was calling to get rid of reset buttons back in 2000.
Isn’t this a no-brainer? Why do we have to fight simple usability issues like this in 2008?
