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20
May
MP

Functional Usage Gap

Theoretical vs. Actual Functionality - Gadgetopia.com - Deane Barker

Functional Usage Gap is the gap between what a piece of software can do and what you actually use it for. For example Microsoft Word probably has the biggest Functional Usage Gap with the average user only using perhaps 5% of it’s capability.

It’s not just the software companies exploiting the gap by making people think they may need this extra capability, but it is also the customers who like knowing that the capabilities are there even if they will never use them. Deane Barker gives the example of people who buy Corvettes and SUV’s even if they will never have the need to get to 60 m.p.h. in 5 seconds or go off-road.

The problem with this gap is that it most often adds unneeded complexity to software that makes it harder for the user to do even simple functions. Would several simple and effective applications be more affective then one do-everything application?

Interesting read and a very valid point.

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Posted on: Saturday, May 20, 2006 at 12:59 pm
Posted by: Earl Moore
Filed Under: Observations, Software

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