A wonderfully written essay on the PalmOS philosophy of design.
“Before we go, let’s review a minute. To design great Palm OS products you must set aside the instincts that you may have learned in the PC world. Avoid the siren call of “features for features’ sake.” It will lead you down the path of suffering and small market share. Instead, focus on the user’s experience with your product. Convenience and usability are power.
“Most importantly, focus on the inner tranquility of the customer. Do you swear at your computer? (If not, you must know plenty of people who do.) Machine hangs. “&##!!!” Lost data. “@#$(#!!" Network down. "&#^$#?!” Have you ever noticed you don’t feel that way with Palm OS products? Want to see your schedule? Press a button and there it is. You’re in control. You don’t wait. You don’t get confused or frustrated. It’s all very elegant and pleasing.
“You must prevent your products from becoming complex and frustrating. Yet you must continue to innovate to differentiate your product from the competition. Add more, but only if you sweat the details, focus on solutions, and keep it easy-to-use.
“Remember that your goal is not to satisfy some marketing team’s check list of features. Your goal is a creative and challenging one. It is to serve your customers while preserving their inner tranquility—the Zen of Palm.”
Link: The Zen of Palm (palmos.com)
Related:
- The ineffable nature of great design
- When people don’t use phones to make calls
- Alternatives to the keyboard interface
- Complexity and attention to detail
- Mobile 2.0
Tags: design, handheld, hci, interactiondesign, ixd, mobile, palm, usability, userexperience, ux
