Comments on Interface | matters: Lotusphere 2009...Should I Even Try?

The great thing about your posts is that you provi...

2008-10-09T03:26:00.000-04:00

The great thing about your posts is that you provide abundant links to other web sites, technical resources, general information, blogs..all this makes ur site a great tool infact for anyone connected to lotus notes. let me personally thank you for ur wonderful website..I have enriched my knowledge in many more dimensions just going through ur site...Way to go chris..keep the great work up..cheers!!

There are two things I've come to look for when re...

2008-09-06T15:30:00.000-04:00

There are two things I've come to look for when reading your blog.
First it's about how to think about design. When someone asks for an app to do 'X', you push beyond the obvious and get at the core of what the person/group really needs. This is important when working with long time Notes users because they start to tell you what to design rather than asking for what they need. You have some great ideas for how to facilitate that conversation.

The second thing I look for is the 'how to' for designing. You've helped me break out of a fixed design model that goes back to R4.x. Keep showing us how to implement that idea that meets the user's real needs.

Let's get everyone's input over at IdeaJam!LS09 Be...

2008-09-05T10:44:00.000-04:00

Let's get everyone's input over at IdeaJam!

LS09 Best Practices Sessions

I can't be the only one, but I have some pretty ba...

2008-09-05T09:48:00.000-04:00

I can't be the only one, but I have some pretty bad apps that could use a Makeover(ooooh, there's a title for you: Lotus Application Makeover).

In fact, you could solicit entries, have some polling to determine the winner (or loser in this case) and then in your 60 minutes, perform a makeover for the app. You could do the thinking, and have someone else do the coding.

I like that. :-)

Or how about a session about things that you can d...

2008-09-05T00:55:00.000-04:00

Or how about a session about things that you can do in a Notes interface that you can't do in a Web browser interface (or visa versa) without a huge development effort and how you would go about programatically bridging the gaps.

For example selecting multiple documents in a view. Exporting to Excel. Looking up the Domino Directory in the Notes Client vs a lookup via a Web browser, execution control, doing in-place spell checking, drag & drop, attaching multiple files, etc.

There is a strong push by many organizations to replace Notes Clients with Web browsers but while Web browsers have their strengths, so does the Rich Client. But few people are standing up and saying "hey this rich client has some strong advantages as well".

The other issue that developers face when developing for both Rich Client and Web browser interfaces (in the same application) is how to maintain as much consistency as possible, because some users actually need to switch between the two interfaces from time-to-time, or for documentation and training reasons you want to maintain a high level of consistency.

Finally with XPages coming out in 8.5 there are going to be a whole bunch of new things you can programatically do in a Web browser (until XPages is available for the Rich Client) that will give Web browsers additional advantages over the Rich Client. Perhaps this needs to be discussed as well.

Create a tool that allows you to push a button and...

2008-09-04T23:35:00.000-04:00

Create a tool that allows you to push a button and turn an ugly old R4/R5 app into a wonderful looking, highly functional Notes 8 app... then demo that ;-) Magic!

Whoa. Ouch, buddy! :-)Check your email.

2008-09-04T23:26:00.000-04:00

Whoa. Ouch, buddy! :-)

Check your email.

Whatever you do... do it! I like the idea about UI...

2008-09-04T20:58:00.000-04:00

Whatever you do... do it! I like the idea about UI change, but I would not expect LS09 without you speaking...

I'd like to potentially see you do something about...

2008-09-04T14:19:00.000-04:00

I'd like to potentially see you do something about Domino reporting or how to use the new Domino tools to do extended reporting, end-user views, etc. I have a TON of customers asking for it, and now that we have some cool stuff coming in 8.5 - might be timely!! (Andrea)

God yeah. Your the UI guy. And we've all seen/done...

2008-09-04T14:14:00.000-04:00

God yeah. Your the UI guy. And we've all seen/done really horrible applications. Keep preaching, brother!

---* Bill