Perkins Inventing The Lisa User Interface

art i c I e Frank Luclol INVENTING THE USER INTERFACE Macintosh user interface is a direct descendant of rst ~eveloped and used on Apple's Lisa computer. Iex:I-oased system that presented the user with a blank ~" · king cursor, the Lisa displayed an electronic desktop, he user manipulated directly to tell the computer electronic desktop, with its windows, menu bar, . part of the original design; rather, it was the . result of a 4-year-long' process of refining goals and developing, ~~~-.--~~~~--~--~, testing, and synt esizing many alternative ideas. In fact, the iconic deskto · was first tried in 1980 and discarded! The final result (Fig- ~ ure ·1) cot .anly_mage computers easier to use, it made them fun. Ill The system will provide one standard method ofinteracting with a user in handling text, numbers, and graphics... The system will adhere to the concept of "gradual learning': .. A user must be able to do some important tasks easily and with minimal instruction or preparation... The more sophisticated ftatures will be unobtrusive until they are needed Errors will be handled consistently in as friendly a manner as possible, and the user will be protected from obvious errors... ... A "Set-up" program will allow the user to customize several system attributes in order to "personalize" interaction with the system... in order to make the system uniquely personal for the user without interfering with the interface standards... {It should allow) a user to put whatever he/she is doing on "hold" in order to answer the phone, look up an address, or respond to an asynchronous interrupt (time for a meeting, mail received on the network, etc). .. In addition, the use ofgraphics in general user interaction will set Lisa apart from its competitors and will go a long way toward making the system friendly, easy and enjoyable to use. 'Intuitive icons" can be designed to indicate certain messages to the user. .. ., The authors were members of the software team that designed and implemented Lisa's system software and applications. Rod Perkins joined the team in early 1979, shortly after the start of the project, to work on applications and prototypes of the early ideas about the appearance and workings of windows, dialogue boxes, and menus. Dan Keller and Frank Ludolph began working on Lisa in late 1980 and were resp0nsible for what eventually became the .Desktop Manager with folders and icons. ~-'"!1!P and Guiding Principles -. • new machine, first proposed in late 1978, to be designed for general office use-a high-quality, easy-to-use computer for secretaries, managers, and professionals that would give the individual more independence performi~ multiple tasks without disrupting the office. The ease-of-use goal evolved during 1979 as the software team tried many ideas. Requirements, developed jointly by marketing and engineering, enumerated the following goals [4]. Lisa must be fun to use. It will not be a system that is used by someone "because…