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Opinion
Aux Out
8/21/2006
Lastly, don’t forget about labeling. A connector panel can cause a simple system to look more complicated, just by virtue of having a bunch of scary-looking connectors with no clear purpose. Label, label, label. Use graphical icons where possible to make connectors less scary-looking.
Don’t underestimate the importance of “de-scary-fication.” A fine arts professor commented to me a few days ago that her impression of her institution’s standard smart classroom is that it is extremely complex to operate because “there’s this big tall black rack with lots of things and wires in it, and I have no idea what I have to do to make it all work.” While most educators would envy the ease-of-use afforded by this institutions’ simple podium with large touch screen control interface, emotional impressions are easily made and hard to break. If a typical user d'esn’t need auxiliary inputs/outputs, consider placing them so that they are not front-and-center. Keep in mind that these are, after all, AUXILIARY, and that they should not detract from the effectiveness of the system by making the system look too complicated to use.
Will Craig CTS-D CDT, is a Multimedia Systems Consultant with Elert & Associates, an independent technology consulting firm working with higher-education clients across the United States.
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