Is software only for the tech savvy?

Recently I stopped in at my bank to talk to one of the officers. As I sat down, she quickly flipped to Windows Media Player to turn down an MP3 she'd been playing. Just from this quick observation, she seemed very comfortable with the workings of her PC and Windows.

However, as she began fumbling for the information I’d requested, she apologized. “I’m sorry I’m so slow at this. We just got a new system. It’s much harder to use than the old one. I think you have to be good with computers to understand it.”

Good with computers? A quick glance at the screen, uncovered the real problem, a poorly designed interface. Conventions, standards and common sense, which give well designed software its familiar and easy-to-use feel, were simply absent.

Unfortunately, this is an all too common problem. Some technical teams become so wrapped up in software’s technical aspects that they never bother to learn critical interface design skills, leaving users frustrated and less productive.