Are Users Stupid?

Are users Stupid? (Link to the full report.)

There are many USABLLITY opponents out there that say that we only use stupid users when we test web site usability.

• We select stupid users for usability studies; our findings do not apply to smarter users.
• Our recommendation to make simplicity a major design goal stems from our misguided view that all users are stupid. In reality, they claim, many users are capable of navigating complex sites.
• Some people are so stupid that technology is beyond their grasp; making websites easy enough for everyone to navigate is an unrealistic goal.

"Test Users are Stupid"

• First, it ignores the fact that users' initial experience with a new technology is crucial. People will never become experienced users unless they are capable of learning the technology in the first place.
• Second, our study's participants used WAP phones for a week, and we tested them both at the beginning and the end of the period. If a full week of use is insufficient to learn a user interface, we are surely not talking about a mainstream consumer technology.