Re: [Ayatana] Sudoku: Let's try a heuristic usability evaluation

[Jan-Christoph Borchardt <inquata@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 10 May 2010 00:13, Matthew Paul Thomas <mpt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Basically the idea is to put yourself in the mindset of someone using
> the system, and ask yourself questions.

Considering I am not a regular Sudoku player, this was quite
interesting. I also wrote down some suggestions.

  * Difficulty colors are not expected (Mint, Brown, shades of Blue).
    (principle: Consistency and standards, Recognition rather than recall)
    (suggestion: easy = Green, medium = Yellow-Green, hard = orange,
very hard = red)
  	
  * Window opened in full, choices were only shown on the top. I
thought there was something missing.
    (principle: Visibility of system status)
    (suggestion: make them bigger and one choice in each corner)

  * You have to hover over the tracker icon to get an explanation.
    (principle: Recognition rather than recall)

  * I don’t understand the tracker function, seems complicated.
    (principle: Match between system and the real world)

  * »Show Possible Numbers« shows numbers without spaces. I wonder
about 39 as a possible number.
    (principle: Consistency and standards?)
    (suggestion: add a little spacing between them)

  * Highlighter is a great feature (maybe for the toolbar) but the
colors are weird and distracting.
    (principle: Aesthetic and minimalist design)
    (suggestion: use shades of grey)

  * »Warn About Unfillable Squares« did nothing for me.
    (principle: Visibility of system status)

  * Coloured animation on winning the game is totally awesome.
    (principle: Reward the user and make him play the game again)
    (suggestion: Keep it that way. :)


To finish off: A short diary about my discovery of the number pad and
number input ;)

»I just discovered the double-click to open a number pad. Love it. So
very handy and easy but maybe not so easy to discover?«

»A number input appeared. I could not figure out when the number pad
appears and when instead of it the number input comes. That was
irritating. My theory is top and bottom for input, anywhere else for
pad.«

»Ah, now I get it. Number pad for input, input field for reminder of
possible inputs. But why top AND bottom? Bottom is already used by
system for possible numbers function.«



Thanks MPT for this game/task, had real fun doing it.