Why Is Easy To Use Hard To Do?

Ramblings

from the the-guru-effect dept

MSNBC is reprinting a Newsweek column suggesting that the reason we so rarely get easy to use product is that doing so would put the local geek guru out of business. Thus, the guru who designs a product knows that if it’s completely easy to use – then there won’t be the need for that guru to explain how it works any more. This seems like something of a stretch. I’m not sure that most of the “gurus” are thinking that far ahead. It makes it seem more like a conspiracy. In fact, many of the folks who end up as such “gurus” would probably prefer that they not get bothered to come fix the printer every time it breaks, or to help set up the boss’s home network, or whatever other guru-necessary project comes up.