This is bang on. I am shocked by how poor UX really is these days in most modern applications.
I worked at an old grocery store running the front office as a teenager through college maaaany years ago, and everything was a keyboard shortcut, non-touchscreen driven interface from probably the early 90’s. It took some time to get used to and train others on, but I could fly through those interfaces in a way a modern UX simply does not allow by focusing on the lowest common denominator for usability instead of any attempt to cater to ‘experts’: aka the people who have to use those interfaces day in and day out.
Sure, the modern interfaces look great (usually) and in the ideal state anyone can pick it up and use it without much instruction. But there’s no attempt to focus on the poor soul who has to use it in their day to day and just wants to get it done as quickly as possible.
Hardware, too. I worked in broadcast television in the 1990s and we used these very large Sony three-quarter inch videotape decks for editing. Two of them paired together and a monitor.
Once I learned how to edit using the buttons and the scroll wheels, I could fly through putting together a news segment with all kinds of cuts, fades and overdubs. I remember thinking, I couldn’t believe how fast my fingers were flying.
The closest thing I can compare it to is learning how to play a guitar; after a certain point muscle memory takes over.
I worked at an old grocery store running the front office as a teenager through college maaaany years ago, and everything was a keyboard shortcut, non-touchscreen driven interface from probably the early 90’s. It took some time to get used to and train others on, but I could fly through those interfaces in a way a modern UX simply does not allow by focusing on the lowest common denominator for usability instead of any attempt to cater to ‘experts’: aka the people who have to use those interfaces day in and day out.
Sure, the modern interfaces look great (usually) and in the ideal state anyone can pick it up and use it without much instruction. But there’s no attempt to focus on the poor soul who has to use it in their day to day and just wants to get it done as quickly as possible.