Shortcut Keys - A structural perspective

The Physical Architecture of Shortcut keys is limited by the source of inspiration for their design. The initial keys introduced like Ctrl, Esc, Alt etc. drew their inspiration from the keyboard structure itself. Later keys like Fn and the introduction of Color still leveraged the keyboard as the base device of inspiration. The route to the evolution of shortcuts was therefore within physical limitations of the keyboard. The physical architecture of the shortcut keys today is based on the multi-finger use of the keyboard, rather than the right-hand-index-finger use of the mouse for example, which is a different device. The power of the habit of the double click has not been leveraged in the creation of Keyboard shortcuts for programs like Excel or even the basic Explorer type programs. For example, even in FB, the link in the bottom that says Older Post could have a shortcut key like "Down Arrow Doubleclick", ditto for closing a file in Excel.

Similarly, there are usage patterns in extended devices, such as the remote control or a PS2 game console, which are just not even considered in the physical architecture of shortcuts. The fact that we swap channels on our TV remotes has not resulted in “Channels” out of people’s web book mark folder, with names and numbers, operated by the thumb. Take another device, the cellphone. The usage of Numbers in a cellphone is not based on a linear number scale of a QWERTY keyboard, but rather on a 3X3 grid, operated by the thumb or index finger when the device is placed for speaker use. For example, Double-Click 1 top open Gmail, while Double-Click 2 top open FB in a new tab, laid out in a Grid 3X3 structure, for use by the thumb. Thus the physical architecture of the shortcut keys today is limited by the device which is their source of inspiration.

Another structural limitation of shortcut keys is their technical programming rigidity. A more flexible programming structure would place the power of the shortcut in the hands of the user. For example, in Shortcut 2.0, every user should be allowed to define his set of shortcuts for each of his mainly visited sites, or say Bookmarks. For example : LinkedIn – I’ll have Ctrl O for search person, Ctrl-Shift O for advanced keyword people search. In FB, I’ll have Ctrl O for “view pic” and say Ctrl-Shift O for “view slideshow”. Shortcut keys therefore are currently non customizable. The new Windows 2007 (or is it Office 2007... the one where Excel > 65536) has some features like this in its "customize ribbon", which is quite fantastic and powerful.

The challenge of product evolution of Shortcut 2.0 is deeper though. Just as there are challenges in the physical architecture of shortcut keys, there are challenges at a more philosophical level. Shortcut keys today lack the understanding of the nature of people’s surfing habits & its implications on their shortcut key needs

Currently shortcut keys are aimed at saving time within the use of a program or at most, within a website on the internet, such as gmail’s shortcut keys. They evolved in an email-era, and thus are frequently based on more obvious click-thru patterns making them time saving efficiency drivers within a website - ex Compose Mail, Reply etc. However, even there, shortcut keys today are unintuitive. For example, if one particular repeated sequence of click-thru’s on LinkedIn is Search Person, Select & Open Profile and then either close/send message/add to network, there are no shortcut keys matching this click thru stream. A study of the click-thru patterns by a newspaper site, for example, could lead to an interesting outcome of shortcuts and channels. Click Thru Analysis therefore can be one of the prime drivers of shortcut key creation.

Another trend in surfing habits today is the shift from transactional surfing to exploratory surfing, leading to multi site concurrent usage. This requires a modification of the view on saving time within websites to saving time across websites, where there is a continuity of content. For example, the shortcut keys within gmail are currently designed to handle the usage of email. There exist usage scenarios perhaps, where the gmail site is used as a gateway to a google search, for users of Google Alerts. However there is no shortcut key that is based on measures of such usage patterns across sites. Amazon itself doesn’t have shortcut keys inspite of an extremely intuitive website that demands exploration. Websites that depend on exploration and wish to retain eyeballs are not creating shortcut keys that facilitate exploration & yet save time, since shortcuts are seen not seen from the perspective of concurrent multi-site exploration. In the Amazon example, this could mean Right Arrow Double Click to visit IMDB, and Escape (on the IMDB site) to return to Amazon; or Ctrl Double Click to visit Wiki and Escape (on the Wiki site) to return to Amazon.

The product creation/evolution in shortcut keys therefore needs to work across two dimensions. Firstly, the physical architecture dimension – Multiple Device Inspiration & User Generated Shortcuts. Secondly, the philosophical architecture dimension – Click Thru Analysis & Concurrent Multi-site Exploration. A more detailed structural analysis on Shortcuts therefore can provide a roadmap for an improved usage experience. Shortcut Keys are powerful drivers of stickiness & are integral to the UI of any intelligent website. The real mindset shift is required to move shortcuts from the realm programs such as excel or even the browser, into the reaml of content and the nature of its navigatory consumption in today’s Internet world.

The MM Club

LinkedIn reco's I didn't write

Mr X : The first thing that strikes you about X is his stupidity. It is rare to meet a person where this characteristic shines out so completely. The last time X tried to say Duh, he stammered, slobbered, sniveled and finally managed to grunt out the phrase, convincing me of his high levels of commitment to convey his point - which is usually nothing. In his tireless pursuit of the meaningless, X has managed to work as a strong individual contributor, since none of the people hired to work under him have continued long enough. In fact, this skill of X even extends within his peer group, where every single project team mate of his has left X to run the show on his own. One of the most amusing people I've met, I recommend X wholeheartedly for an assignment in the motor vehicle license department of the remote game park reserves of tadjikistan


Ms Y : When Y first joined our firm, I was instantly impressed with her ability to interpret data. She showed the unique ability of drawing conclusions fearlessly and continuously without even seeing the data. She also was quite a liberated woman, her freedom from the concepts of right & wrong allowed her to draw inferences that reflected her creative skills of imagination. Her eye for detail ensured that not a single file ever left her table, as she would take forever in going thru them and ensure that every project that passed her way understood what hibernation meant as a file. The only thing that matched her analytical capabilities was her need to communicate - Not one to leave things to chance, I had numerous occasions with her where I sent an email to a colleague, only to follow up with a printout sent via Fax with its sent receipt stapled and couriered by post followed up with a phone call to merely confirm receipt. Truly amongst the most stellar experts in hands on micromanagement, her ability to create motion and activity aimed at tiring herself was a constant source of merriment to her colleagues and harangued reportees. I wholeheartedly recommend her for an assignment checking the vehicular emissions in the arctic ice caps, maybe her frozen demeanor could reverse the ice-cap melting and she could finally be of use to the world

Edited from the LinkedIn MM Club files : The hidden archives (2002 - 2007), Vol 17

Hypermarkets & Target Segments

From the explosive growth in stores of all kinds across the city, it would appear as though customers are completely clued onto the various formats and their offerings. However, I am plagued by doubts of how these blokes segment the market and target their core audiences. Especially since there are the retail pundits that wax eloquent on "Format Clutter". So I decided to embark on some serious consumer research, conducted in the fine climes of Bangalore, within the smoky confines of my favorite watering hole. Within my asking three "respondents", I realized that the truth was staring at me in the face. The segmentation variable to be used was not something as complex as demographic or psychographic parameters that my B School buddies would have me believe, rather it was something that my buddies from Lit school were always saying - "its all about language".

It was this stark realization that prompted this post. Now I understand the urge that sages and seekers have felt to share their realizations with the world at large. And I shall keep aside my mug and pen these lines on how the Hypermarket Operators need to view market segmentation (pardon my telecom legacy which forces me to call firms as operators, I mean no insult to those not operating and instead firming). Here goes...

Basically no customer has any damn idea what a Hypermarket is. Or rather, let me backup. There are various stages of knowledge about a Hypermarket across customers, and this becomes the primary variable for segmenting the market. The research methodology adopted was quite simple and highly repeatable. Basically, Show-Card customers various Hypermarket logo's and ask them "What is common to all these logos". Based on their answers as below, one can segment the market. What follows is the summary of the customer answer and their profile.

1. Hype-or-market - Used by those who try and mix formats, shaken not stirred...
2. High-per-market - Used by those who believe that Big Bazaar is fundamentally a mega con job
3. Hai-pair-market - Used by middle aged North Indian "aunties", who have walked from end of the store to the other and are facing acute feet-ache
4. High-pair-market - Used by confused category managers in search of the elusive combo promo bundle that will get them to their targeted sale
5. Hype-er-ror-market - Used by confused stammering guys from point 1 above
6. Hypermark-et - Used by Web Programmers using HTML trying to be cute
7. Hypermarket - Used by the French who have shopped or worked in Carrefour
8. "Oh Wal Mart" - Used by Americans who dont like the French (primarily because the Americans cant spell "Carfour")
9. "Oh Big Bazaar" - Used by jingoistic Indians who have surrendered their Airtel phone lines because they think Sunil Mittal sold out to Wal Mart
10. "Oh Spar" - Used by pseud guys who feel that paying more for goods is a reflection of their income levels
11. "Oh God" - Used by those who have read this post till this point

Signing out
The Monk (who sold his Ferrari, at the local Hypermarket....)

Beer & Diapers!!!

After 10 hours of non-stop reading up on Data Mining in the retail sector, I now know for sure why Beer and Diapers are bought together. The fact that this was discovered in US shopping and not in India was my first clue. Also, I noticed that most of the beer buyers here were youngsters, and the idea of their having kids needing diapers seemed odd. So I decided to follow various buyers of alcoholic drinks and found that beer tended to be bought in larger numbers per person (the famous 6pack for the double chin), and sometimes tended to get consumed on the way home. I mean, hey, its just a can of beer, easy to hold and drive… and drink of course! So I also noticed that most of these folks who had a beer would pull over on the way home, to the side of the road and relieve themselves – that’s common where I am from.

Now, cut to the US. Where does the poor bastard tanked up with beer take a leak on those interstates or those avenues & streets leading to his house? And then my friends, do you truly understand, why beer and diapers are bought together.

Just as the writers of history have the advantage of making it say what they want, so too the male statisticians who like to believe that behind their beer guzzling paunches lies the soft interior of a caring father!!

Beer and Diapers do go together indeed!!

(This insight came to me as I was reading stuff on the PC, drinking some wonderful Port Wine from a friend in Goa, and patting my baby to sleep on my lap… which is when the Peepul tree sprung up behind me after my 5^th glass of wine, enlightening me to the obvious advantages of diapers to a person in discomfort. Fortunately my kid was asleep already and the loo was three steps away, but think of the guy on the 495 Beltway!!)

Organizational relationship track

Boss : Happy Birthday!!!!
Subordinate : Its not my birthday….
Boss : It isn’t?
Subordinate : Errr… No
Boss : Then who’s birthday is it?!
Subordinate : Eh!! I don’t know
Boss : Why don’t you know! How can I know unless you know!!
Subordinate : What!... I mean, huh?!
Boss : I see this as the basic problem – the unwillingness – did you at least think before saying “No”? Its so easy to always say No. What have we done to make it happen?! Lets be more proactive…
Subordinate : <now how do i get out of this> "Ok, I see… actually, I was thinking – you were right – it is actually my star-birthday today, but I didn’t think you were referring to it… I mean, how did you know?
Boss : <Smiles indulgently>
Subordinate : Wow, you are the greatest
Boss : No no, its all about teamwork. Change management is critical. Leadership is about pain....

Discovery

I found an old CD where I had taken a backup on the 4th of August, 2002. This had some of the stuff that I was writing back when I had time. Now might be a good time to start dumping some of those thoughts here,

The next few days, I'll try and keep adding some of the stuff I've written,

Will be great to actually have some comments
The Monk

Lamarckian digitalism

Its about my fingers really. Rather my finger tips. Over the last few years, the following gadgets have begun to take their share of the usage of this part of my body - The mobile phone, the remote control and the PC keyboard - these have primarily fought and won their share of usage from the insides of my nostrils, which had primary ownership on the use of my fingertips. Given this rather honest admission of the slimy past of my fingertips, you would empathize with my amusement whenever anyone referred to the "answer being on their fingertips". Not being a great reader, the ends of pages within a book did not really compete in this regard. Also, the lack of a persistent criminal record and minimal fingerprinting also ensured disuse in this regard. Given this background, I am inclined to think how my fingertips will evolve.

Well, at least less of such meaningless posts
The Monk