Check out the icons on these buttons in the 2011 Ford Explorer.  Any idea what they are for?

I came across this article from Insurance and Technology that describes, "UIs need to be crafted not only to meet the task at hand but also the type of user." Really?

QUOTE: In developing the various UIs within its product set, StoneRiver has identified three different personas:

• the internal insurance professional or administrator;
• the external customer, including agents; and
• the systems administrator.

Aren't all of these just people and aren't they all using the same application?

QUOTE: For example, internal insurance professionals understand the concepts and terminology of insurance, Griffin explains. They are looking for speed and efficiency and can deal with more complexity.

So insurance "professionals" understand the insurance we buy better than we do or are superior in their processing capabilities?  Complexity = speed and efficiency?

Now, we didn't hire a Human Factor Specialist to design our UI, but I also don't think we need to complicate things with 3 (or more) different UIs.  Sure, different users have access to different screens and information in the application, but do they each need a custom design?   I'm not trying to pile on the company mentioned in this article and truth be told, I'm the litmus test for new features and layouts for SCOUT.  If I can't figure out how to use it we go back to the drawing board. 

Required training is minimal, barriers to entry low, adoption rates high.  We promise not to make our client's lives more complicatied.  Quite the opposite.

We give these digital mock-ups to the developement staff with a detailed set of instructions about how the system should function.

Notes_axure_091230.png (14.19 kb)

Files_axure_091230.png (12.80 kb)

I used to have to draw print ads for clients and give them to my creative staff for creation.  That came in handy here.

Justin UI drawings.pdf (117.67 kb)