[[Elecraft] SPLIT indicator will use the 10th LED]

[Rod Cerkoney]

n6kr@elecraft.com wrote:
> Rod wrote:
> =

> > This human interface design stuff can be very tricky. An interesting
> > book on the topic is, "The Design of Everyday Things"; Norman, Donald=
 A.
> =

> Funny you should mention Don Norman, who was my senior advisor at UCSD
(Univ. of =


Wow, small world, indeed!


=2E...

> I agree with you that using the 10th LED represents a mixing of visual
design =

> metaphors, and that it's a non-optimal solution. But in view of the
importance of =

> the problem--some users not noticing that they're in SPLIT mode and/or =
that
they =

> have RIT or XIT turned on--it's necessary to find some overt means of
indicating =



Agreed, optimal design philosophy for non-perfect systems. =




> I've had a lot of private feedback on the SPLIT indication method, and =
it's

> running about 10:1 in favor of using the LED. This is with the understa=
nding
that =



IMPORTANT POINT! Human factors should be settled on, only after "statisti=
cally
significant" testing. the 10:1 ratio suggests this to be a good "optimal"=

solution. All that I would ask is to make it flash slowly. Consider this:=
 If
you're receiving a strong signal and all the bars are lit, are you in spl=
it
mode, or not, after a quick glance at the bar-graph? =



> it is strictly optional: you don't have to turn it on if you're happy w=
ith
the =


Another important, positive point, used in computer programs all the time=
=2E
Keep it flexible to suit user preference.


73, Rod N0RC