Another blow for Microsoft today as usability guru Jakob Nielsen posted heavy criticism on Windows 8. Nielsen is a leading web usability consultant and has written a lengthy blog with his views on Microsoft's latest operating system. On his blog he calls the usage of two interfaces together in the same OS, the prescription for usability problems. Due to this, Windows 8 users have to learn and remember where they have to go to perform a certain task. He also adds that the two interfaces mean an inconsistent experience and as there is a browser in Metro and a browser in the desktop, that it's easy to forget about open pages.
Nielsen also writes that Windows is no longer using multiple windows , taking away the original meaning of the name of the operating system. According to Nielsen the operating system can now be called Microsoft Window. The single window interface works well on tablets and is required for smartphones but with a big screen on a powerful computer where multiple applications can easily run it's incredibly useful to be able to switch between them which is no longer possible in Metro.
Also the flat style of Metro is a no-no for Nielsen. The flatness makes it difficult to understand what can be clicked or where something can be typed. Items now look more like labels instead of clickable objects that trigger actions this could cause problems for users who can easily overlook functionality of the operating system and its applications.
Another point Nielsen raises is the information density on Metro. Microsoft has released good looking apps for e.g. news which show impressive pictures and some text. While this might look impressive at first, the applications only show a little amount of the information users are looking for. If they want more they'll to scroll and click much more than when everything would have been less impressive with more text.
And that's not all, Nielsen goes on with other points covering Live Tiles and the Charms Bar on his blog.
