Microsoft vs Scenario-Based Design?

In a recent Business2.0 interview with Ray Ozzie from Microsoft, the question was is asked. “What’s different at Microsoft?”

“They see things from more of a platform-and-capabilities perspective, sometimes to a fault. At the opposite end of the spectrum, like Apple with the iPod, that’s a scenario-based design. They start with the user experience of listening to music and aim for the minimum necessary to accomplish that experience. Microsoft’s culture is “Build it, and they will come.” There are still a lot of people there who build technology that’s very capable, but it isn’t packaged in such a way that people see the value of it.”

Like the Contractor and Architect post over at Engadget, I enjoy comparisons highlighting the different business philosophies at work inside these major companies.

What’s interesting is the last line—which seems to place blame on people for not being able to see the value in bloated software. That and the bit about aiming “for the minimum necessary.” This is true of many Web 2.0 companies, but not necessarily true of Apple. Apple seems to anticipate what I need, but doesn’t shove it in my face when I don’t need it.

Understanding a bit about where Ray Ozzie is coming from, I’m sure I’m mincing words. And he does go on to mention the UI redesign of Office 12.

I personally have no problem with feature laden products. I do have a problem with feature laden products that are notoriously difficult to use. And consequently just don’t work for people. Which is better? Software that does just what you need in an easy manner, or software that tries to anticipate everything you could ever want it to do, and in the process makes accomplishing even the simplest of tasks difficult? It’s a classic Engineering (feature-focused) versus Design (experience-focused) argument.

Have your cake and eat it too!
I personally am looking forward to the group (from either camp) that packs in all the features without resulting in a more complicated interface.

Microsoft is coming from the bloated feature camp, and is now streamlining the user interface. Look at the redesign of Microsoft Office 12

“We set about rethinking the UI from the user’s perspective, which is ‘results-oriented,’ rather than from the developer’s perspective, which tends to be ‘feature-oriented’ or ‘command-oriented’ – thereby enabling people to focus on what they want to do rather than on how they do it.” (What? You haven’t watched the video? )

Most Web2.0 companies are starting from the ground up (or user experience backwards) with a clean slate. The challenge for these companies will be adding features (that are needed!) while preserving their most valuable asset – a simple UI.

Either way, this calls for some seriously skilled interface design. I have some ideas around how this will be pulled off, but that’s a topic for another day…