Starfightr?
@starlabssystems The switch is positioned closer to the wifi logo, indicating it is on. But it is also red, indicating it is off...unless the user has certain kinds of color blindness, and then it's on.
This switch is killing me.
#accessibility #tech #UX #UXdesign #computers #KillSwitch
I love a good physical off switch for cameras, mics, and wifi on a laptop. Just want them done well, please.
Great observation.
I believe the decision was made many months prior to my start at Starlabs.
I sometimes have to remind myself to look at things "Through the eyes of a Qubes user".
And the Qubes users I speak to would see Wireless connection as an insecurity (RED). Although I agree with you, as a non-Qubes user, I see red and think the WIFI is off.
@starlabssystems Thought you'd like to see how one of my #HigherEd #IT colleagues "fixed" the image.
Of course, user context does matter in #UX design. Unfortunately at our #college, we are certain #students and #faculty would generate at least one ticket a day somewhere on campus with this design choice.
OTOH, a non-trivial number of tech support people have now seen this and will be able to help those confused users. So... win?
I agree with the fixed image soo much so that I have to stop looking at it, because I can't think of a way to solve this.
an "X" on the left?
@starlabssystems @DanielMReck either on our off on the left, depending on what state it is in the final product.
@starlabssystems @DanielMReck I'm assuming the switch is to turn wifi on/off without having to do so on the screen. The wifi symbol should be adjacent to 'on' and the wifi symbol with a line through it should be adjacent to the 'off'.
@starlabssystems The universal symbols "|" and "◯" for on and off might be a good place to start.
Of course that doesn't do anything for the red/green issue.
Hopefully, a StarFighter owner will be able to quickly deduce whether their device is or isn't wirelessly connected to the internet. If they can make it or a support page, it's safe to assume their internet is connected.
But no doubt the ticker generator will still be churning.
@DanielMReck @starlabssystems I agree with you, Daniel, that that switch is very confusing, and for all the reasons you explain. To be honest, seeing the “Kill Switch” label in the image, still doesn’t help me understand what, exactly, the switch does.
From its position next to the WiFi icon, I’d assume that it toggles WiFi on and off. But I have no idea how it’s supposed to work. And why use what’s effective a negation? (1/2)
I’d love the idea of a simple hardware toggle for WiFi connectivity. But, with that name, are additional functions affected by the switch.
More importantly, don’t ever mess with well-established design patterns (lest you want to risk confused users and countless support tickets, as you predict). In this case, move the toggle to the right position means on. That’s the pattern. Don’t expect users to easily learn a different behavior, just because a few designers like it that way. (2/2)
I put this kill-switch situation down to a lack of fresh eyes rather than a deliberate attempt by designers. The kill switch turns off the wireless card, so if you are connected via a network cable, you will still have a network connection.
Toggle to the right means WIFI on, and that is red because the people who have requested it want a "warning" hence the red.
A WIFI logo with a big "X" through it on the left would be nice.
Thanks!
Have a great day
@starlabssystems Thanks for the detailed response! So the mapping between on and off is correct. Great! :)
The idea of the crossed-out WiFi logo to the left of the switch sounds like a solution that could work very well. A more polished, but also much more expensive one, could be this: Add a red LED that shows as a warning triangle ⚠︎ when WiFi is active; and try to hide it by blending it into the case when WiFi is off to give it even more prominence when lit. (1/3)
And yeah, I'm usually overthinking stuff like this.
BTW, I remember some great advice from the design professor at my Alma Mater, which applies in this case, too:
"Clearly document every detail of your design. If you leave any gaps, the engineers will fill them. And they will pick the solution that is easiest for them to implement, and usually not the best for the users.” (2/3)
Mind you, this is not ripping devs. It's just that their success metrics are very different from a UX designer’s. (3/3)
@starlabssystems Finally!!!!...Lets go!!
@starlabssystems How soon are we talking? In the next few months or by the end of the year?
Announcement will be 1 week.
@starlabssystems Hopefully it will be huge upgrade over the previous one. Hardware and privacy wise.
Star Fighter wish list:
Wifi 7
Snapdragon X Elite option