Author: TomsWrite

Posted on

Perfect Use For QR Codes

Just read this newsletter from one of the world’s most prominent usability researchers, Jakob Nielsen.
Overly Tabletized Museum Info
Just back from Singapore. It’s about 15 years since my last visit and it’s amazing how much progress they have made. The world’s most efficient country. The new National Museum of Singapore is very impressive, in terms of both buildings and collections. I particularly liked the full-length paintings of old-time governors, including one by John Singer Sargent that could be in any art museum in the world, even disregarding the historical value.
Sadly, the museum is an example of mobile technology run amok. All information about the exhibited objects is provided on a tablet that you borrow when entering the history exhibition. The good news is that this allows for more in-depth information than traditional museum labels, and it’s also easier to provide the text in multiple languages that would crowd a printed label.
But the tablet fails to support the actual museum-going experience. You pause by a wall or display case with maybe 10-20 objects, each only marked by a number. And then you’re supposed to enter all these numbers into the tablet to find out what you’re seeing. No way: much too slow.
Nothing beats the roaming human eye in terms of quickly taking in volumes of information, especially when glancing around a large physical space. In a second or two, you can scan a big wall and focus on the label for the object that interests you the most. A few more seconds suffice to scan the label for the most pertinent information (what is it? how old is it?), and then you can either read more or move your gaze to the next object. All in much less time than it takes to type in a 3-4 digit number on a tablet.
You can easily imagine a more efficient retrieval user interface: for example one that utilizes location and direction to display information about an object simply by being pointed in the direction of that object. While faster, this would still be slower than simply glancing at a label next to the object.
Let’s stick to old technology when it works better. Then for sure use tablets to provide supplementary information, multimedia, and other elements that utilize its strengths and provide sufficient added-value to justify the interaction cost.

Posted on

Do Not Speak Badly of Yourself

There is much wisdom behind the idea of ignoring the losses and making firm the wins of the past while increasing knowledge and building skills for the future. You cannot build a character while tearing it down. This is a post from Facebook.
Do Not Speak Badly of Yourself
A warrior has one true friend. Only one man he can rely on. Himself. So he feeds his body well; he trains it; works on it. Where he lacks skill, he practices. Where he lacks knowledge, he studies. But above all he must believe. He must believe in his strength of will, of purpose, of heart and soul.
Do not speak badly of yourself, for the warrior that is inside you hears your words and is lessened by them. You are strong and you are brave. There is nobility of spirit within you. Let it grow. David Gemmel
WARRIOR WISDOM: Ageless Wisdom for the Modern Warrior and Modern Bushido are available at http://thewisdomwarrior.com/books-by-bohdi-sanders/ or on Amazon.com at https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/books/book-detail-page?ie=UTF8&bookASIN=1937884007&index=default

Posted on

Our Health Is More Valuable After We Lose It

Our Health Is More Valuable After We Lose ItOh how I wish this were not the case!
If you don’t consider your health the second most valuable asset you have (after your personal integrity), please make a point of talking to some people who are not in good health. If you are adventurous you might ask them what they would like to do differently if they had their time over again.
Of course, they may or may not know what brought about their condition, after all, the medical profession have to justify their “not know” of the truth by saying “it’s just the luck of the draw” or “it’s all in the genes”.
I have heard it said that those who do not know history are condemned to repeat it.
I also read where one wit wrote, Those who do know history are condemned to watch others repeat it.
Having learned the 12 pieces to the jigsaw puzzle of good health I am incredibly keen to help others avoid the pitfalls, traps, lies and deceptions that form the barriers to maintaining optimal health.
After all, those who know the 12 factors involved in maintaining optimal health are condemned to watch others die for lack of knowing them. Watching others suffer is painful.
These 12 items are offered here, free of charge. I encourage you to take them aboard and investigate for yourself, the impact each of them has on your quality of life. That way you will have a rock solid certainty on them.
Most people do not have the 2,000 hours it has taken taken me to research and find the data necessary to gain an understanding of how each of these factors impact on health and to compile it.
That is one reason I have compiled what I have learned into a two volume set. To save you the time and trouble of sifting through the morass of conflicting data out there.
If you wish to avail yourself of it, the book is available at www.defeatdegenerativedisease.com as a downloadable eBook. If you prefer to read a physical book rather than on a computer screen, drop me a line or give me a call.