Comments on: When their eyes roll back in their head… http://www.rescuemarketing.com/blog/2009/05/04/when-their-eyes-roll-back-in-their-head/ Strategic, common sense marketing, operations and tech advice that will strengthen your business - today! Wed, 18 Jan 2012 23:16:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mark http://www.rescuemarketing.com/blog/2009/05/04/when-their-eyes-roll-back-in-their-head/comment-page-1/#comment-3827 Mark Mon, 04 May 2009 14:46:05 +0000 http://www.rescuemarketing.com/blog/?p=2130#comment-3827 From what Ive seen, even one of those small things can become a major thing - if its the wrong small thing. Thanks for sharing your standards document strategy. From what Ive seen, even one of those small things can become a major thing – if its the wrong small thing. Thanks for sharing your standards document strategy.

]]> By: Russ Eggen http://www.rescuemarketing.com/blog/2009/05/04/when-their-eyes-roll-back-in-their-head/comment-page-1/#comment-3826 Russ Eggen Mon, 04 May 2009 13:31:08 +0000 http://www.rescuemarketing.com/blog/?p=2130#comment-3826 Spot on! I've been making a standards document for not only me, but my other developers. It will never be finished. But one of the standards I placed in it for my developers is that technical terms are not visible in any program we make. Instead of "Record Will Be Added" (which is also weak grammar), we replace such messages with "Adding Customer" or "Adding Employee" (stronger grammar as a bonus). Why? Does everyone know what a "Record" is? If an image of pressed vinyl pops into your head, imagine your confusion trying to figure out how that applies to a computer. Potential users of my programs are business people who are already nervous about technology. "If I press that button, the world will end and everyone will know its my fault!" So make a business program that speaks their lingo. Computer programs must be inviting, not intimidating. As an educator as well as programmer, I've found only the glib like to toss out lingo in order to impress someone else. And that even extends to their programs. These are just some of the reasons I ban computer technical terms from the visible area of any business application. Its a small thing really. How many other small things are in a program that will add up to a "it sucks" major thing? I find establishing standards like this saves a LOT of work down the road, not to mention support traffic. Spot on! I’ve been making a standards document for not only me, but my other developers. It will never be finished.

But one of the standards I placed in it for my developers is that technical terms are not visible in any program we make. Instead of “Record Will Be Added” (which is also weak grammar), we replace such messages with “Adding Customer” or “Adding Employee” (stronger grammar as a bonus). Why? Does everyone know what a “Record” is? If an image of pressed vinyl pops into your head, imagine your confusion trying to figure out how that applies to a computer.

Potential users of my programs are business people who are already nervous about technology. “If I press that button, the world will end and everyone will know its my fault!”

So make a business program that speaks their lingo. Computer programs must be inviting, not intimidating. As an educator as well as programmer, I’ve found only the glib like to toss out lingo in order to impress someone else. And that even extends to their programs.

These are just some of the reasons I ban computer technical terms from the visible area of any business application. Its a small thing really. How many other small things are in a program that will add up to a “it sucks” major thing?

I find establishing standards like this saves a LOT of work down the road, not to mention support traffic.

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