Hi fellas,

Who do you consider when writing a programme as regards to interface, yourself or the end user? please back ur answer with reasonable arguments. Enjoy

When writing a programme, you dont consider yourself in the first place because you are not the one to use it. YOu have a perticular purpose in mind - the user. Hence, you must first consider the following:
1. the interface - this is a crusial environment because if the interface is not good, you will pack up! Hence you should sample your opinion about your interface and ask questions.

2. the end user - At this point the end user will appreciate your job if your interface is nice because they are the ones going to use it. That then means you will then consider yourself as a user as the last option. This you do by asking yourself several question that may even look stupid since you cant predict there questions too as regards your software, all the best!

End user interface never urs at all

I firstly consider the market before considering the user who will use the software. Considering the market do make me write a program that will be acceptable by most users even when they don't need it. If you target users you may not meet up with the market.

Unless I dont have intention of selling the software to another person or organization then I will target user.

When writing your codes the first person to consider is the user, as your not writing it for yourself, then comes the limits which the machine or technology your using affords u, then comes the law, what contents could u place in accordance with the rules and regulation of the industry, company or goverment on the site your developing. When all this is considered and u have a proper road map of your design, then comes the final question what can u as a proprammer implement based on the resources available to u, which includes payment for the job by your client, what u know as a programmer.

I hope i answered your question.

@Ikomi: sure u did. but I wonder why some dont seem to consider the users of their software, could it be they are bad programmers or bad Interface designers rather?

The rule of any business is ur customer first. When a an organisation (be it one man business or programmer) does not consider its customers the only reason could be that it is monopolising the business, and that only leaves plenty of room for serious minded competitors, who would consider the customer first.

But if ur looking at programming in the Nigerian setting, which I was quite familiar with before leaving, most clients dont really know what the solution they require should look like, they only know what they want it to be able to do, so most most times design is solely left to the discretion of the programmer. And as the saying goes, a thief always thinks everyone is a thief. So a programmer that wasn't given specification on how the interface should look like, believes the client is as smart as himself and tries to implement his own thought as the interface.

But I must let you know that this always happens with softwares, the programmer always implements his own thoughts, it is only when his thought has being implemented and the client has made a trial of this implementation, then and only then can the client start giving suggestions and making modifications, and at this stage u say the software is evolving. That is why before softwares are finally realesed to the market you always have a beta version for potential users to try out and make comments before a final version is realised given consideration to reasonable comments from customers.

That is why applications has versions, as the knowledge of the programmer increases so does the undestanding and the wants of the client increases.

I hope this answers your question.

Thanks man. You really have a point.

Sooo,

Since the question is "who" and not "what", then the end user/customer should *always* be the "who". If you are in a situation where they are carefree/confused about the software they want you to write, it is your duty to teach them (aka "knowledge transfer" or "training session(s)". That way, they don't come back to you with every little question which further reinforces their trust in you.

If you are ever in a situation where you feel the end user doesn't know what they want, it wouldn't hurt to walk them through likely scenarios. That way, you are not going back to make modification upon modification due to misunderstood/miscommunicated requirements. If you are producing something for which human contact isn't possible, then, as has been said above, a beta release is the way to go. Through feedback, you inculcate all the changes you feel are warranted (so for example, you wouldn't give the customer John the Baptist's head on a platter just because that's what they said they wanted ) before releasing the final product.

I hope this helps.

I write projects though not IT, but i consider the following:
Why
where
who needs it
when
what
how

@my2cents : you got it

but that's what alot of programmers here in nija don't think of. Infact it's one of thereasons why i came up with this question. they always try to impose their ideas on their clients irrespective of whether it suits the solution to their problems or not. I believe the end user interface is basically the most important part of your program to the client becos that's what he sees and communicates with. the engine is not his problem.

@aisha2: Hope programs will be embedded in your projects soon. and always get the question before an anwser. lol

yaro248:

@my2cents : you got it

but that's what alot of programmers here in nija don't think of. Infact it's one of thereasons why i came up with this question. they always try to impose their ideas on their clients irrespective of whether it suits the solution to their problems or not. I believe the end user interface is basically the most important part of your program to the client because that's what he sees and communicates with. the engine is not his problem.

@aisha2: Hope programs will be embedded in your projects soon. and always get the question before an anwser. lol

Am sorry, just trying to help

Both- the user and the developer. The user because you need to satisfy their demand and then yourself because man must wack.

yaro248:

@my2cents : you got it

but that's what alot of programmers here in nija don't think of. Infact it's one of thereasons why i came up with this question. they always try to impose their ideas on their clients irrespective of whether it suits the solution to their problems or not. I believe the end user interface is basically the most important part of your program to the client because that's what he sees and communicates with. the engine is not his problem.

@aisha2: Hope programs will be embedded in your projects soon. and always get the question before an anwser. lol

If you have any programmer giving you a heck of time please contact me, will either make him do the job for you well or make you smile by taking over the job myself, especially when it has to do with business and management software irrespective of the industry.

Dont let it bother ya, ok

If you are financially bouyant enough to afford your own programme Then
you can put a mirror in front of you when writing your programme.
Else
Start thinking of you client before you get "bankrupt"
End If

@aisha2: mind u, am not offended, just thought u can contribute to the programming world through your project writing.

@Chiaka: i dont have any1 giving me problems, just wondering y some programmers are being selfish to disregard their clients.

yaro248:

@aisha2: mind u, am not offended, just thought u can contribute to the programming world through your project writing.

@Chiaka: i don't have anyone giving me problems, just wondering y some programmers are being selfish to disregard their clients.

I am actually thinking of an online helpline

Ever heard of the word "ergonomics"? it is a term that describes how a user fits to his work as comfortably as possible. it is applied in every technology - cars, computers, electronics etc. similarly in designing an interface for ur users, u must first consider how a user will comfortably fit with the system. in order words u must consider the GUI design the will make the user work most comfortably as possible.

@Aisha!!! please we need to talk my sister. i really need your advice and guidance on allot of things. Please!!!

You can get me on sirkwoo6@yahoo.com
amaikama@gmail.com
amaikama06@hotmail.co.uk

messenger sirkwoo6

Regards.