MIX08 Microsoft Office 2007: The Story of the Ribbon (2 of 10)

Jensen Harris from the Office 2007 design team gave a very rare presentation at Microsoft's MIX08.

Farewell, menus and toolbars! Come hear the behind-the-scenes story of how the 2007 Office Ribbon user interface was imagined, designed, and validated. See never-before-shown early prototypes, hear about mistakes we learned from during the design process, and find out the principles of user experience design we used each step of the way in creating the first totally new user interface for Office.

Portal:
http://www.babybluebox.com
http://www.creativecrew.org
http://www.williamchang.org

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• MIX08
• Microsoft
• Office
• 2007
• Story
• Ribbon
• Creating
• Prototyping
• Designing
• Usability
• Accessibility
• User Experience

[EpsilonVector]

The reason people badmouthed Office 2007 is because most people have a pathological dislike to any sort of change in software. They will cling with their last breath to the most shitty user experience possible only because it is familiar to them. Office 2003 was terrible UI wise- everything was buried under too many menus and took way too many clicks to access. In Office 2007 everything is in front of you, everything is easily accessible, and everything is tidier.

[EpsilonVector]

@packoftwenty Your argument has nothing to do with design. There is nothing about the Ribbon that prevents people from using spatial memory. Just as you memorized where things are in the old system you can memorize where they are on the Ribbon, and that is true for any new software, regardless of GUI. Your argument is basically: "they moved everything, and I don't like the fact that I need to relearn where stuff is", which reaffirms my point about people disliking change.

[TheLazdude]

@packoftwenty There's no need to be offensive. At least, if you had any real arguments, there wouldn't be. Because you have no point, no arguments, and are too lazy to learn a better UI, you just loudmouth everyone who likes it. It's the same everywhere. If you hate it, just say you hate it. Don't make up reasons that don't exist.

[packoftwenty]

@EpsilonVector Pray tell us - how do you remember where all the commands are, in Office 2007? How do you remember that it was under this tab, and not that tab? How do you remember 'the fourth tab along, then the third section from the left, the fourth icon down'? You are so stupid it's beyond words. And hence - you just love 'The Ribbon' and actually DEFEND this bullshit! Try doing some Google searches on 'Why I hate The Ribbon', you absolute idiot... MOST people agree with ME.

[packoftwenty]

@EpsilonVector "There is nothing about the Ribbon that prevents people from using spatial memory. " Are you seriously that stupid?

With drop down menus, you can SPATIALLY remember that 'Open' is in the left most drop down menu, and READ the menu options as soon as you drop it down.

Do you even understand what the word 'spatially' means? You are an epic douchebag...

It's idiots like you who actually LIKE 'The Ribbon'. Moron.

[packoftwenty]

@EpsilonVector "In Office 2007 everything is in front of you, everything is easily accessible, and everything is tidier."

Yes, of course it is. If you say so. Idiot.

[packoftwenty]

@EpsilonVector Did I mention icons at all? You douchebag.

You don't understand what 'spatial memory' is, how embarrassing. "spatial memory is obtainable" - who talks like that? Oh, of course - DOUCHEBAGS like you!

Most competent computer users (not newbies like you) HATE 'the ribbon'...

[EpsilonVector]

@packoftwenty If having hundreds of icons on the screen is your idea of a good UI then you're at the minority; most people would consider that messy and bloated. Further, exhibiting such a hysterical emotional response to this is hardly going to convince me or anyone else that you're at the top of the game when it comes to understanding computers. It's actually an indicator that you do not feel in your comfort zone around computers, if this change can cause you so much distress.

[EpsilonVector]

@packoftwenty The only thing you need to develop spatial memory is for things to stay in their place. Since the buttons on the ribbon don't rearrange themselves at random but remain constant in category and location within the category spatial memory is obtainable. The fact that the contents of the ribbon change based on category is irrelevant because seeing everything at once is not required. For example: you navigate your hometown based on spatial memory, even if you don't see it all at once.

[olfrygt2007]

@packoftwenty: I was too talking about the UX staff

[packoftwenty]

Let me spell it out for dumbass EpsilonVector:

If you have a hundred squares, ten by ten, on a screen, with a command on each of them, and you use this as your interface for your software, you will rapidly remember APPROXIMATELY where each command that you REGULARLY use, is. You will learn that 'Open' is in the top left, you will learn that 'Print' is in the lower left, etc.

The Ribbon stops you from doing all that.

Can you tell us all why, Epsilon? Do you even understand what a computer is?