draft of gnome-display-manager

[Phil Bull]

Hi Vikram,

On Sun, 2009-09-13 at 15:49 -0400, Vikram Dhillon wrote:
>         Alright so this is a better version more oriented towards a help
> based approach. Please have a look at the guide and give your review.
> Thanks to Phil for giving me the questions.

Nice work, this would definitely be more useful to users! The
information is more focused, and more concise. I think you still need to
work on understanding your target audience better, though.

The first thing I noticed is that some of the information wouldn't be
suitable for non-technical users. For example, they are unlikely to know
what an "X session" is, or how to edit xorg.conf without full
instructions. You need to pitch the material at the right level of
difficultly - if a user wouldn't know how to edit xorg.conf, you have to
give them the exact steps.

Also, I don't think that there is a clear question that each section
answers. You've provided the information that people need to answer a
question, but you haven't structured it in a way that would allow
someone to find the relevant information quickly.

A good way of understanding your users is to write some "personas" [1].
I've attached an example, which is for people having problems with their
mouse. I prepared it by looking at common questions and trying to think
who might be asking those questions and why they might be asking them.

I've also attached a list of common tasks and questions which I found by
searching through IRC logs. I've matched each of those tasks to one or
more personas. I also grouped questions which relate to the same thing
but for different reasons (e.g. turning off the touchpad) and included
quotes from the IRC logs when I thought a user asked an interesting
question or worded it in an interesting way.

Persona development and task analysis can take a lot of time, and I
found it difficult to get used to doing this before I wrote anything. I
think it's made my documents much more useful, though.

We can go through some persona development together on IRC, if you like.

Thanks,

Phil

[1] - http://www.usability.gov/methods/analyze_current/personas.html

-- 
Phil Bull
https://launchpad.net/people/philbull
-------------- next part --------------
Personas

=================
Fancy Mouse owner (FMO)
=================
Has a mouse with extra features, such as multiple buttons or a complicated 
scroll wheel.
Possibly got used to the mouse's extra features under Windows, used them as 
shortcuts and wants them to work the same in Linux.
Alternatively, specifically bought a fancy mouse to enhance productivity, maybe 
with a specialist package (e.g. CAD, graphics package).
Might use a mouse with a non-standard interface such as Bluetooth.

OBJECTIVES: Allow user to assign their desired actions to the extra buttons on 
the mouse.
Allow user to get their mouse working as intended.

===========================
Uncomfortable settings user (USU)
===========================
Has been using a mouse in Windows/Mac OS with the same settings for years.
The mouse feels different in Linux, and is too sensitive or too slow. This 
makes it uncomfortable to use the computer.
Wants the mouse to feel the same in Linux as it did in Windows/Mac OS.
The discomfort could come from the scroll rate of the mouse wheel, or of the 
pointer itself.

OBJECTIVES: Allow the user to change the settings so that they feel the same as 
they did in Windows/Mac OS.

==========
Customiser (C)
==========
Wants to tweak the look and feel of the computer to their personal tastes.
Wants to change the way the pointer looks, such as how big it is or what colour 
it is.
May want a small amont of control, to change only basic settings.
More extreme users may want total control, such as colour of mouse highlight; 
would be willing to expend more effort than casual customisers, would consider 
using more technical methods.

OBJECTIVES: Allow users to change the mouse appearance significantly. Point 
more advanced users to useful resources on extreme modification.

===============
Touchpad dodger (TD)
===============
Has a laptop with a touchpad, but prefers to use a mouse in some situations.
May completely hate the touchpad and wants it turned off, in order to use a 
plug-in mouse exclusively.
May want to use a plug-in mouse when not on the road (e.g. at a desk in the 
office), and wants the touchpad turned off when it's plugged in to avoid moving 
the mouse when typing.
Keeps hitting the touchpad accidentally when typing, which clicks away from 
a text entry, causing frustration.

OBJECTIVES: Help user to turn touchpad on or off when they want to.

==========================
Funny Mouse Behaviour user (FMB)
==========================
Has a mouse which is behaving in an unexpected way.
This behaviour might cause problems, such as double-clicking when single-click 
was made, causing multiple emails to be deleted in Evolution (for example).
Wants the mouse to behave normally.
Could be a hardware problem (e.g. mouse jumping around, not clicking).
Likely to be novice users.

OBJECTIVES: Stop the mouse from behaving in a strange way.

==================
Accessibility user (AU)
==================
Has a disability which prevents them from using the mouse in the standard way.
Wants to make the mouse pointer practical for them to use, by making it easier 
to see or to control.

OBJECTIVES: Make it possible to control the mouse pointer

-------------- next part --------------
Persona-matched task list
=========================

Change the way the cursor looks *
    Change the pointer size (C, AU) *
    Change the pointer colour/style (C, USU) *
    Apply a downloaded pointer theme (C) *

Make extra mouse buttons work (FMO, C)
    https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ManyButtonsMouseHowto

Change the handedness of the mouse
    Change from RH to LH (USU) *
    Mouse handedness different for mouse and touchpad, esp. Mac TP (TD)
    Mouse handedness changes when mouse unplugged, replugged (FMB)

Left-hand touchpad right-clicks when tapped (FMB)

Turn-off the touchpad *
    Turn-off touchpad when mouse plugged in (TD)
    The caret moves when I'm typing (FMB) *
        "I have a problem with the touchpad , when I type the mouse click 
        randomly."

The mouse is too sensitive or too slow (USU, AU) *
    "my mouse is like more slidy (lol) on Linux but it seems to be more solid 
    as if i have more control in Windows"

Change the rate at which the mouse scrollwheel scrolls (USU, AU)

Change the text selection highlight colour (C, AU) *
    "Can i change the color of the selection box the mouse makes?"

Change the settings of the mouse and touchpad independently (TD, USU)

Mouse double-clicks when it should single-click (AU, FMB, USU) *

I do/don't want the focus to follow the mouse (C, USU, >>>FMB<<<) *

I do/don't want the keyboard to control the mouse (USU, >>>FMB<<<, AU) *

I want a sound to be made when I click the mouse (AU, C) *

The mouse pointer doesn't move properly
    The mouse doesn't move at all (FMB, FMO) ***
    The mouse jumps around the screen (FMB, FMO)