Talk:HowTo Request User Experience Assistance

ToDo:

• re-write or drop the intro ("Why..."), or at least introduce "HCI"

done, at least for a first start; Whoever has a better idea for a short intro is welcome to change it.

• see spec project for feature classification - maybe re-use?

done, answer is no. Involving UX (as in user experience engineering) and writing a spec are two completely different actions within the feature development cycle. "Spec required" does not necessarily mean "UX required". However, "UX required" makes it very likely that a spec is required, too. For this reason, "UX required" needs it's own criteria, and cannot copy the "spec required" criteria.

• replace "tools in place" by Issue Tracker and mailing-lists (is this all?)

done, see section "How to contact..."

• change the name of the mailing-list for requesting assistance

done, it is request@ux

• when in the development process should UX be included?

done, see last line of the intro

Hello *waves* excuse me. Um. Ok. I'll just paste the text of the email I just sent to Request @ Ux.

Hello Request @ Ux

I am a new OpenOffice user and I am converting my office from Microsoft Office, and I am using your new spreadsheet and word processor applications. What are they called again? Swrite and Scalc or something.

Anyway, Microsoft Office seems to be a more powerful, but I would rather be a part of this project in support of the open source developers. I would like to contribute by sharing my UX with you and suggesting changes and improvements. Thing is, I just don't understand the Wiki, it's all gobbledeegook, and the Wiki seems to be designed more for developer-use to streamline the work that is being done than to interact with the End User.

Are you looking for people like me? Who just want to say things like, "I think Microsoft Excel's notion that cell alignment should default to BOTTOM is ridiculous, and with the spreadsheets I have created for my work, I spend my life realigning rows that share a cell that ends up being multi-linear to TOP, and I would suggest that you adopt a new notion that default cell alignment = TOP to ensure that if aliens find the software, they won't be completely stymied as to how stupid earthlings can be."

Is there a forum for suggestions like this?

I feel that I can be immensely helpful because I use spreadsheets a helluva lot, and I can really put your software through its paces and show you what the End User will find superior to your competitors.

ThanksSTONES 13:43, 8 April 2009 (UTC)