Life
Week off work ahead as I turn another year older. It’s just a number, right? Picked up a new iPad Pro which so far has been a joy to use. More on that later in the week.
Media
Outlaw King – a poor man’s Game of Thrones. Bit dull although Scotland shone throughout.
The Walking Dead – This season has been a bit of a return to form. This weeks was doing pretty well…but then they dropped the ball. Shame.
I’ve been an Apple Watch user sine it first came out in 2015. It was no surprise as I love my Apple products and I’ve been interested in wearables for years importing the very first Fitbit to track my steps.
However I resisted upgrading from the original Series 0 waiting for a bit of a redesign which the Series 4 finally delivered. I’ve been using the new watch for just over a month so how has it performed?
Hardware
The new watch comes in a slightly bigger size along with a far bigger screen. It’s not quite edge to edge but the bigger screen makes for a far more readable display. I plumped for the 44mm and it’s really comfortable on my wrist. Now that I’ve seen both sizes I prefer it over the 40mm.
It also feels comfy to wear. Like all smartwatches it’s pretty thick but not ridiculousy so. I went for the Cellular version this time and thankfully the red crown has been replaced with a small red line around the crown instead which is far more pleasing on the eye.
Cellular has worked well. I’ve streamed music and podcasts while out and about around Glasgow listening via AirPods and without the phone. Speeds are good, easy to select content and calls have come through with clear audio.
Speaking of speed, the Series 4 is really quick. Apps launch quickly, taps are recognised without a pause…it makes for such a different experience compared with the older watch.
Couple of other points. Battery life is excellent. I use the watch all day, keep it on overnight for sleep tracking and charge it for an hour while getting ready for work. Around once a week I need to do a top up at night but I’m fine with that. For an overnight trip I no longer need to pack a charger.
The crown – it’s digital but the haptic feedback is so good. The sport loop straps are more comfortable than the sport bands…although there are far too many colour choices. Damn you Apple.
Despite all that’s great about the hardware it’s hard to avoid the obvious miss – the always on screen. Will come one day but still feels a few years away which is a shame. Can never truly call it a watch until it’s always on and you don’t need to flick your wrist to trigger the screen.
It’s also a shame that that ECG feature isn’t available anywhere yet and hasn’t been cleared for UK use. It’s that breakthrough that made this watch so appealing.
Software
While the hardware delivers I can’t say the same for the software. The most noticeable addition is the new watch faces in particular Infograph and Infograph Modular. Infograph is the face seen in most of the adverts for the new watch as it shows of the increase in the size of the screen. You can customise the hell out of this face and can show up to 8 complications.
My current Infograph face
New in Series 4 are complications around the edge of the clock face. Some of the new ones are great like weather showing upper, lower and current temperatures or the activity rings that show the individual totals as you progress through the day. We are also seeing more and more third party complications that can take advantage of the new display.
However it’s hard to get an Infograph setup that looks clean and elegant. It’s informationally dense but you can’t say it looks nice. There’s also a lot of complications that you can’t use on other faces like Utility or if you can they look out of place.
Other new faces like Fire and Water are nice but you’ll use them once and then swap back to something more useful. Series 4 has more watch faces available than before but the choice in some ways feels more limiting. With the extra hardware and complications you want to be able to do more not less. The watch is your most personal device but Apple really limit what you can do.
I’d expected Apple to open up watch faces to developers by now. You can on Android and it feels an obvious step for them to take, but when? Others are impatient as well – see this post from Marco Arment and some watch face fakery from Steve Troughton-Smith.
It feels like there’s a really small team working on watch faces at Apple. Each new release has a new watch face or two with the others hardly touched and worse it will be almost a year until we see Watch OS6 assuming Apple do address these issues in the next update.
Other improvements – workouts auto detects activity and offers to start or stop monitoring. Walkie Talkie is now there which is basically an always on audio chat. Works well but be warned that if you have one enabled with someone and they send you a message it will play automatically – be careful who’s listening.
Siri hasn’t changed much in this release but you can now ask it things without saying ‘Hey Siri’. I’ve found it really hit and miss to work though. When it works it’s great – fast and sometimes reliable answers but it is Siri so what do you expect. However there’s too many times where I’ve had to try 2 or 3 times before it triggers and that unreliability stops me from using it at all.
There’s also some issues elsewhere in Watch OS5.
I use the watch as an alarm – when it’s on the wrist the alarm appears like the screen on the left. When it’s on the charger it appears like the screen on the right. Why are stop and snooze the opposite way round on each screen?
I’ve also has some days where complications just don’t update until you click on them and the app is launched. Worse, I’ve clicked on an alert or notification and the watch resets showing only the Apple logo for a minute until it has rebooted. Hopping the 5.1 update that came out last week addresses some of the instability.
Verdict
Was this a good upgrade? Yes. Watch OS5 isn’t supported on Series 0 and the faster hardware coupled with much better battery life has delivered a fantastic platform – I’ve finally given up on the Fitbit too.
However the watch feels like some other Apple products right now. The hardware is far better than the software allows it to be. Here’s hoping that Apple are listening to their community.
Life
Last weeks Apple event was very interesting. Thinking about a new iPad and maybe the larger one…will try it at the store later this week. It was also good to see some Mac updates especially the Mini. Finally!
Next 3 months are the worst. Dark nights arriving at work, dark nights leaving. Makes the lunchtime walks all the more important.
Media
Red Dead Redemption 2 – believe the hype. Taking my time and doing a lot more side missions than I expected to.
Apple’s New MapHas Apple closed the gap with Google’s map?I’ve linked to Justin before. His maps analysis is so good. Surprised at the gains Apple have made but in such a small area. Google still the maps king.
Life
A busy and tiring last fortnight. Made the most of the Autumn weather and had a couple of trips out to Perthshire. Both were glorious and really pleased with the camera and drone shots like the one below.
Also enjoying the new Apple Watch although I do have some niggles. Hope to get a post up later this week on the last 4 weeks of use.
Media
Forza Horizon 4 is just fantastic. A blip last week stopped multiplayer working smoothly but it’s a realy fun game with loads to do and enjoy. However, it won’t get much playtime over the coming weeks…
Red Dead Redemption 2 came out Friday and it looks stunning on the Xbox One X. Proper 4k and HDR and so far it looks and plays really well. I’ve only put around 6 hours in and it does get off to a slow start but the game soon starts to unveil more depth and suddenly there is tons to do but all at your own pace.
People can always tell when something is simple, uncomplicated, elegant, not overworked, or a number of other near-synonyms, but can rarely articulate why something is simple. Because simplicity is inherently subjective, achieving it pretty tricky.
Fortunately, the discipline of experience design has emerged as a means to help the world realize its need for simplicity and what it takes to achieve it.
Meet expectations – If someone goes to your product or website for a specific reason, make sure that you know the reason for their visit and the user can confirm they are in the right place, instantly.
Don’t overwhelm people – Humans can (consciously) only process small amounts of information at a time, so if you don’t quickly make your point, their attention wanders. My favorite technique for not overwhelming people is progressive disclosure. That’s a fancy way to describe showing only a tiny bit of information at a time so people don’t become overwhelmed and confused. Here’s a fantastic example.
Only present a few choices at a time – This is directly related to #2. Studies show that if you give people too many choices, they will “make no choice at all. So, it’s often better to remove features rather than add them. Why not focus on creating the minimum viable product, get it to market, then improve on it (or trash it completely in favor of a better solution)? Constantly adding features only ensures your product will never be complete and you’ll run out of money, all while confusing the heck out of intended users.
No jargon or compu-speak – Talk to people like they are human, and don’t mire yourself in jargon. For example, rather than just label a form “Email,” how about making the label a bit more personal or in-brand? Wufoo does a great job with their form labels: “Enter your email address so we can get a hold of you. Don’t worry. This info is sacred to us. We won’t ever sell or abuse it.”
Consider the abilities of different users – Dr. Jennifer Romano-Bergstrom has done some fascinating research on differences in website usability performance based on users’ ages. One thing I found particularly interesting is that older users tend to ignore content that is located in the periphery of a website. Take into account these differences and make sure your product accounts for them.
Visual clarity – Clarity in visual design is critical for simplicity. Users assess the credibility of something very quickly, so if there isn’t a clear visual hierarchy, people will get confused. But keep in mind, just because something looks simple, doesn’t mean it is simple.
Understand the problem – Mads Kristensen put it best when he said, “… if you cannot take a step back and get a good feeling for the problem, then you don’t understand it enough to see a simple solution … If you don’t understand the problem you are trying to solve, then you probably cannot solve it.”
It’s been tested – If someone doesn’t want to test something, that person is probably cowardly, lazy, or arrogant (and don’t let them play the budget card, you can test things for next to nothing). Creation and objectivity usually don’t go hand in hand. You have to test with users.
Account for context – How you use something differs greatly depending on the time of day, your location, and your culture. For example, try to think how someone might use your product while in a hurry, or perhaps on an iPhone, or while sharing it with a friend. They might also use it completely differently the second time than the first. Time of day, repetition, cultural nuances, and location all drive the context of how your product will be used. Understand it, it’s important.
It’s not just usable – Just because someone can complete a task, doesn’t mean it was a pleasant or easy experience. Be careful not to put too much emphasis on task completion at the expense of a good experience.
How can We Shoot for Simplicity?
Everyone wants stuff that’s simple to use, yet simplicity can be very elusive. To find ways to streamline and simplify, it helps to take a look at a project’s framework; controlling the expectations and processes makes achieving the desired outcome much easier.
In the video The ROI of User Experience” by Dr. Susan Weinschenk, she highlights three causes for project failure (she also breaks down the value of UX much more eloquently than I can, so be sure to give it a watch). I’ve cited these (and added a fourth) below, with recommendations on how to address such challenges.
1. Communicate clearly
Lack of clear communication breeds confusion. Establish a project leader and communication process at the onset, be diligent about following it, and keep track of decisions that have been made.
2. Visualize success
Take the time at the front end of a project to define what a successful launch will look like. Answer questions like these to help keep you on the right path: What is the business goal we’re trying to achieve? Who is the user, and what are their goals? What does the product actually do and not do?
3. Align your stakeholders
Make everything matter. It’s your job to care about every detail, because if you don’t, who will?
Keep things from getting bloated. If the people using your product don’t need or want something, isn’t it just a distraction? Streamline!
Plan for executive buy in.Stakeholders need to be heard; involve them early on in the process. Good communication and alignment on goals will assure a better end result.
4. Seek outside opinions, because we can’t do it all ourselves
I make music, and often I’ll write a song that I’m initially thrilled with. After a day or two goes by, I’ll return to the song only to be completely underwhelmed with the original recording. Things are always more exciting when we experience them for the first time; as we focus on something, we have less of a visceral reaction to it, second guess ourselves, and lose interest. Get your idea into a prototype quickly, and show it to others.
Why?
Perhaps the easiest thing one can do to ensure simplicity is to constantly ask, “Why?”
Why are we adding this?
Why are we taking this away?
Why would users care?
Why would people share this?
Why will people do this?
Why can they do this?
Why will they still do this?
Why aren’t we testing this?
The smallest details can make the biggest difference. If you come to an impasse, ask the person who’s been designated as the leader to make a decision and move on. You can always test your hypothesis later.
That’s Simple
Complex is easy, simple is hard. But, with intense focus, good communication, clarity, and bravery, getting there doesn’t have to be so difficult.
Einstein said it best: “Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius—and a lot of courage—to move in the opposite direction.”
Customer Obsession – Leaders start with the customer and work backwards. They work vigorously to earn and keep customer trust. Although leaders pay attention to competitors, they obsess over customers.
Ownership – Leaders are owners. They think long term and don’t sacrifice long-term value for short-term results. They act on behalf of the entire company, beyond just their own team. They never say “that’s not my job”.
Invent and Simplify – Leaders expect and require innovation and invention from their teams and always find ways to simplify. They are externally aware, look for new ideas from everywhere, and are not limited by “not invented here”. As we do new things, we accept that we may be misunderstood for long periods of time.
Are Right, A Lot – Leaders are right a lot. They have strong judgment and good instincts. They seek diverse perspectives and work to disconfirm their beliefs.
Learn and Be Curious – Leaders are never done learning and always seek to improve themselves. They are curious about new possibilities and act to explore them.
Hire and Develop the Best – Leaders raise the performance bar with every hire and promotion. They recognize exceptional talent, and willingly move them throughout the organization. Leaders develop leaders and take seriously their role in coaching others. We work on behalf of our people to invent mechanisms for development like Career Choice.
Insist on the Highest Standards – Leaders have relentlessly high standards – many people may think these standards are unreasonably high. Leaders are continually raising the bar and driving their teams to deliver high quality products, services and processes. Leaders ensure that defects do not get sent down the line and that problems are fixed so they stay fixed.
Think Big – Thinking small is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Leaders create and communicate a bold direction that inspires results. They think differently and look around corners for ways to serve customers.
Bias for Action – Speed matters in business. Many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive study. We value calculated risk taking.
Frugality – Accomplish more with less. Constraints breed resourcefulness, self-sufficiency and invention. There are no extra points for growing headcount, budget size or fixed expense.
Earn Trust – Leaders listen attentively, speak candidly, and treat others respectfully. They are vocally self-critical, even when doing so is awkward or embarrassing. Leaders do not believe their or their team’s body odor smells of perfume. They benchmark themselves and their teams against the best.
Dive Deep – Leaders operate at all levels, stay connected to the details, audit frequently, and are skeptical when metrics and anecdote differ. No task is beneath them.
Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit – Leaders are obligated to respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting. Leaders have conviction and are tenacious. They do not compromise for the sake of social cohesion. Once a decision is determined, they commit wholly.
Deliver Results – Leaders focus on the key inputs for their business and deliver them with the right quality and in a timely fashion. Despite setbacks, they rise to the occasion and never settle.
We are uncovering better ways of developing
software by doing it and helping others do it.
Through this work we have come to value:
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools Working software over comprehensive documentation Customer collaboration over contract negotiation Responding to change over following a plan
That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.
And the principles behind the agile manifesto are:
Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer
through early and continuous delivery
of valuable software.
Welcome changing requirements, even late in
development. Agile processes harness change for
the customer’s competitive advantage.
Deliver working software frequently, from a
couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a
preference to the shorter timescale.
Business people and developers must work
together daily throughout the project.
Build projects around motivated individuals.
Give them the environment and support they need,
and trust them to get the job done.
The most efficient and effective method of
conveying information to and within a development
team is face-to-face conversation.
Working software is the primary measure of progress.
Agile processes promote sustainable development.
The sponsors, developers, and users should be able
to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
Continuous attention to technical excellence
and good design enhances agility.
Simplicity–the art of maximizing the amount
of work not done–is essential.
The best architectures, requirements, and designs
emerge from self-organizing teams.
At regular intervals, the team reflects on how
to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts
its behavior accordingly.
Why is it so hard to deliver things in an enterprise?
I worked for a large ‘enterprise’ organisation for a few years trying to deliver infrastructure software change, and found myself having to explain these things to developers who worked there, salespeople, external open source engineers, software engineers who worked for enterprise vendors, and even many, many people within that organisation.
A few of those people suggested I write these explanations up so that they could pass it on to their fellow salespeople/engineers etc..
