Apple 2 manual Know Your Audience

C H A P T E R 1

Newton and Its Users

Newton is not a small portable computer with another graphical user interface. There may be similarities between portable computers and Newton devices, but the differences summarized below are more important than the similarities when it comes to designing a user interface for an application.

Newton

Focused function

New architecture optimized for mobility and communications— use it anywhere, any time

Tapping, writing, and drawing with a pen

Intelligent assistant

New and custom applications

It’s a communications assistant

Simple

Portable Computers

General purpose

Derived from desktop computer architecture, which is optimized for stationary operation

Typing, pointing, and clicking with mouse and keyboard

Scripting and macros

Existing desktop applications

It’s a personal computer

Complex

To take advantage of its distinguishing features and capabilities, Newton has distinctive user interface elements.

Know Your Audience

Identifying and understanding your target audience are among the most important first steps when you start designing your product. To create a product that people can and will use, study the people who make up your target audience.

It’s useful to create scenarios that describe a typical day in the life of a person you think uses the type of product you’re designing. Think about the different work spaces, tools, and constraints and limitations that people deal with.

You can also visit actual work places and study how people do their jobs.

Analyze the steps necessary to complete each task you anticipate people wanting to accomplish. Then design your product to facilitate those tasks,

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