On the Usability of Codecademy

On the Usability of Codecademy:

Usability is hard because real users use our UIs and software in different and unexpected ways.

(Via Zen and the Art of Ruby Programming)

Required reading for people who build software. We’ve got to stop dismissing people as “too stupid to use a computer” — if people can’t use what we build, it’s our fault, not theirs.

We’ve been conditioned to blame ourselves if we stumble and fumble when trying to interface with software, goods, or other services. “Where’s the light switch? Oh, there! How stupid of me!” I’ve learned to stop feeling stupid or blaming myself when I don’t “get” something new — I blame whoever dumped their assumptions and curse of knowledge on me. Both you and your audience should, too.