Comments on: Good usability is a feature you may not even notice http://www.webdirections.org/blog/good-usability-is-a-feature-you-may-not-even-notice/ Just another WordPress weblog Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:39:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: johnhttp://www.webdirections.org/blog/good-usability-is-a-feature-you-may-not-even-notice/comment-page-1/#comment-8851 john Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:19:46 +0000 http://www.webdirections.org/?p=494#comment-8851 Hi Niels,you can buy espresso makers, at least in Australia, from about $50 and up. The reality is, until you start paying say $200 or more, they probably won't last long, nor make a very good coffee.The good thing about coffee makers is, if you drink coffee regularly, they pay for themselves quite quickly. For example, where I live, its $4 for a large coffee - so I save about $3 a day after coffee and other costs by making my own. So, you can pay off even a quite expensive machine in 4-6 months (much quicker if more than one person in the household drinks coffee). After that, it effectively pays you to make coffee!Now, that's nice design. Hi Niels,

you can buy espresso makers, at least in Australia, from about $50 and up. The reality is, until you start paying say $200 or more, they probably won’t last long, nor make a very good coffee.

The good thing about coffee makers is, if you drink coffee regularly, they pay for themselves quite quickly. For example, where I live, its $4 for a large coffee — so I save about $3 a day after coffee and other costs by making my own. So, you can pay off even a quite expensive machine in 4–6 months (much quicker if more than one person in the household drinks coffee).
After that, it effectively pays you to make coffee!

Now, that’s nice design.

]]> By: Nielshttp://www.webdirections.org/blog/good-usability-is-a-feature-you-may-not-even-notice/comment-page-1/#comment-8828 Niels Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:30:43 +0000 http://www.webdirections.org/?p=494#comment-8828 Hi John, thanks for your quick reply, I agree with youThe machines look nice and make great coffee, I tried it once. It is really good you can still make 10 coffees when you don't see the water level so chances are pretty slim your machine will run out of water.But the price, quite expensive, also in use. I write a lot about these kind of usability problems with products, feel free to check it out. I am going to follow this blog closely! Hi John, thanks for your quick reply, I agree with you

The machines look nice and make great coffee, I tried it once.
It is really good you can still make 10 coffees when you don’t see the water level so chances are pretty slim your machine will run out of water.

But the price, quite expensive, also in use. I write a lot about these kind of usability problems with products, feel free to check it out. I am going to follow this blog closely!

]]> By: johnhttp://www.webdirections.org/blog/good-usability-is-a-feature-you-may-not-even-notice/comment-page-1/#comment-8767 john Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:23:38 +0000 http://www.webdirections.org/?p=494#comment-8767 Hi Niels,while you can indeed eventually boil the machine dry, because of the way it works, it's much less likely.It only uses water while you are making a single cup of coffee, or steaming milk - so you are actively using the machine while water is being used. You'd probably have to make 10 coffees or more with no visible water in the machine before it boils dry.Im actually not sure what happens if it does go dry - to precious a device to find out!john Hi Niels,

while you can indeed eventually boil the machine dry, because of the way it works, it’s much less likely.

It only uses water while you are making a single cup of coffee, or steaming milk — so you are actively using the machine while water is being used. You’d probably have to make 10 coffees or more with no visible water in the machine before it boils dry.

Im actually not sure what happens if it does go dry — to precious a device to find out!

john

]]> By: Nielshttp://www.webdirections.org/blog/good-usability-is-a-feature-you-may-not-even-notice/comment-page-1/#comment-8763 Niels Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:15:54 +0000 http://www.webdirections.org/?p=494#comment-8763 A good example of forgiving products. There are water cookers who use the same principle. The see through window for water level starts a bit higher then the bottom, so the chance of burning the cooker (without water) is smaller.But I am still not sure if this is good usability, you can still ruin your coffee maker. I mean, I like the point your are making and it is sure a nice usability touch, but it doesn't fully prevent you from destroying your cooker. If you are busy and doing multiple things at the time I don't think you will notice the water level. A good example of forgiving products. There are water cookers who use the same principle. The see through window for water level starts a bit higher then the bottom, so the chance of burning the cooker (without water) is smaller.

But I am still not sure if this is good usability, you can still ruin your coffee maker. I mean, I like the point your are making and it is sure a nice usability touch, but it doesn’t fully prevent you from destroying your cooker. If you are busy and doing multiple things at the time I don’t think you will notice the water level.

]]> By: Nielshttp://www.webdirections.org/blog/good-usability-is-a-feature-you-may-not-even-notice/comment-page-1/#comment-8762 Niels Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:15:19 +0000 http://www.webdirections.org/?p=494#comment-8762 A good example of forgiving products. There are water cookers who use the same principle. The see through window for water level starts a bit higher then the bottom, so the chance of burning the cooker (without water) is smaller.But I am still not sure if this is good usability, you can still ruin your coffee maker. I mean, I like the point your are making and it is sure a nice usability touch, but it doesn't fully prevent you from destroying your cooker. If you are busy and doing multiple things at the time I don't think you will notice the water level.Good article, thanks. A good example of forgiving products. There are water cookers who use the same principle. The see through window for water level starts a bit higher then the bottom, so the chance of burning the cooker (without water) is smaller.

But I am still not sure if this is good usability, you can still ruin your coffee maker. I mean, I like the point your are making and it is sure a nice usability touch, but it doesn’t fully prevent you from destroying your cooker. If you are busy and doing multiple things at the time I don’t think you will notice the water level.

Good article, thanks.

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