Recently introduced by Apple Inc. the new Mac OS X Lion confronts its endusers with a 180° change in the response of up/down scrolling direction using a mouse or a track pad.
For years, we got used to scrolling directions which, if we are honest, are counterintuitive. However, everybody got used to it and never thought about wether the functionality was implemented the right way around.
Now, with the most recent introduction Apple Inc. wants us to change. - And they call the new mode "natural".
Wouldn't marketing experts tell us, that introducing usability concepts against customers habits was a bad idea?
The mouse scroll wheel was introduced 16 years ago. And nobody complained about the scrolling direction. Why should we change now?
A couple of days ago I upgraded to OS X Lion, struggling with the new scrolling direction. But, only three days later I find it intuitive and I am starting to struggle with my old PC mouse at my workplace.
Which way is the intuitive now? The one I was forced to for the last 16 years, or the one which I am getting used to against my habits in a couple of days only.
Back to my fundamental question. - Is it a good idea to change usability concepts endusers got used to for several years?
That the context on the screen was not following the users finger movements was never a question. Does it matter in the end?
Scrolling mouse wheels and swiping fingers over track pads in the end probably has no intuitive connection to moving context. It is a usability concept everybody has to learn.
And, the average user usually learns much quicker than one would think. Hence, changing some fundamentals in the usability concept is a hurdle to take in the very first moment, but it will become intuitive to each and every user very quickly.
Will it kill your business now, if you change something in the usability concept of your products even if your customers have been following another concept for several years and generations of your products?
How quickly can you change your habits?
