Media: NY Times reports on a Crime of Interface Design

["Wanted by the police: A good interface" by Katie Hafner in The New York Times has me in a dilemma. This is paid-for content and the only way I can link to it is to offer an abruptly terminating page on CNet (linked below) but it's such a good story that I am putting the gist of it here and offering the link for anyone with the patience to do as I did and open it over and over again to read what is actually officially 'expired'.]

The US police department has been using a new mobile dispatch system that includes a Windows-based touch-screen computer in every patrol car. But users say the system is so complex and difficult to use that it is jeopardising their ability to do their jobs. Vitally, a "call for assistance" command - that officers use when they are in danger - is needlessly complicated.

Police officers were not consulted about the design of the interface. Routine tasks are so difficult to perform that they are discouraged from doing them.

Aaron Marcus and Jakob Nielsen both get quoted in the New York Times article.

Associated Link: Wanted by the police: a good interface

All change at the top for System Concepts
Source: System Concepts Ltd, 3 July 2009
 
Leslie Fountain has been promoted to joint Managing Director of leading usability consultancy System Concepts.

Life in UCD immortalised in fiction: you couldn't make it up
Source: UN, 2 July 2009
 
Sarah Herman's fictitious book on life in a user-centred design company has hit the shelves and The Guardian's book pages...

Interfaces Magazine - Issue 79: The Education Issue
Source: Interaction Group, 1 July 2009
 
The latest issue of Interfaces is now available as a free download from the Interaction Website.

Two new Behavioural research Tools from Noldus
Source: UN, 30 June 2009
 
Tool updates make on-site behavioural data collection easier.

Cell Phones that Listen and Learn
Source: MIT Technology Review, 29 June 2009
 
New software tracks a user's behavior by monitoring everyday sounds.

Top Six Don’ts for Usability Testing
Source: FutureNow Inc., 27 June 2009
 
Six tips for creating quality usability tests to ensure useful feedback from testers.

Usability: ‘Lovely software. But I can’t work it’
Source: FT.com, 26 June 2009
 
In a recent survey by Global Graphics, 77 per cent of office workers estimate they lose up to one hour a week because business software is difficult to use.

And what do you do?
Source: Dexo Design, 25 June 2009
 
How do you describe your job role? Here are the results of a recent 'Preferred UX/UI Title' Poll.

Most Doctors cite Usability as critical to Electronic Health Record Adoption
Source: TMCNet, 24 June 2009
 
It's all about 'meaningful use'.

Glossy monitors look good but can hurt
Source: QUT, 23 June 2009
 
A new advisory cites research which suggests high gloss monitors make users sit awkwardly.