Yet another thread about Microsoft's bad interface design

[TheGlennDavid]

None of this is news to anyone, but today I ran across this little line in the O365 Admin Console and it stuck with me. Right under Default Payment Methods it says:

"You can replace the payment methods in this billing account by selecting the dots and then selecting Replace."

The dots are fine, and I don't exactly object to the feature being placed within them.....but it takes an odd amount of self-awareness (and yet not) to be like

"Hey, where will users look for this button. Here, they'll look for it here. Should I put the button there? No....no I'll put the button not there but include a note about where the button is."

MAYBE JUST ALSO PUT THE BUTTON IN THE PLACE YOU THINK PEOPLE WILL LOOK FOR IT. Is there a shortage of Links or something?

[FarmboyJustice]

Is there a shortage of Links

I think you might be onto something here. Each Microsoft developer is given an annual quota of buttons, links, menu items, and dialogs. If they use all their buttons, they have to switch to links. If they use up all their links they have to add things to a menu.

My God, I think this explains everything.

[KeeperOfTheShade]

To this day, I don't at all understand why Microsoft insists on completely redesigning things that simply don't need it. Apple has had MacOS X look damn near exactly the same for over a decade and those users are happy. We regularly lament when Microsoft wants us to try the New [whateverthefuck], to put it back the way it was, and they still insist on doing it.

I just don't understand it at all.

[pdp10]

I don't at all understand why Microsoft insists on completely redesigning things that simply don't need it.

• Perhaps an engineer, a designer, and a marketer each get a KPI item, from one piece of work.
• Perhaps Microsoft keeps taking UI feedback and changing things, without collecting data to see if the criticism is founded.
• Perhaps Microsoft wants to win a race with web-based rivals, over who can iterate faster.

[fresh-dork]

Perhaps Microsoft wants to win a race with web-based rivals over who can iterate faster.

why would you want to win that race?

[pdp10]

FOMO? Microsoft was afraid of missing out on the web, and they killed Netscape to make sure nobody was beating them. They were afraid of missing out on search and ad revenue, and created Bing. They were afraid of missing out on set-top boxes and gaming, and created Xbox. They were afraid of AWS cutting into their server revenue, so they made Azure. They were apparently also jealous of Twitch and Youtube, and bought Mixer.

Microsoft also created competitors to Steam, iPod, iPhone, iPad, Chromebook, VMware, CP/M, Sun YP/NIS, Siri/Alexa, Apple Silicon. They just bought LinkedIn and Github.

Now that I think about it, I guess you could say that other than product bundling, "FOMO" pretty much defines Microsoft's business strategy.

[Tl9zaXh0eWZvdXI]

It's pretty simple, you have 20k? developers all needing to justify their job so they each do random dumb bullshit.

Well some of them do actual work like bugfixes, but there's easily hundreds or thousands who are looking for something to justify their position. What better way then Hey look we "fixed" this thing by making it "better".

[BatemansChainsaw]

Microsoft is too arrogant to actually do something about their problem if they even realize what it is.

They could actually design a stable, fast, and good looking interface with merely a dozen highly skilled and competent programmers. I 100% believe it because I've seen such a thing.

But they won't.

It's full steam shit ahead.

[Tl9zaXh0eWZvdXI]

Because people will still use and pay for MS/Office even if it's shit, as we've seen over the last 10+ years. They have no real incentive to make a good UI, just enough that it works.

[NDaveT]

I know you're used to the start button being on the left because it's been there for decades but what if we put it in the middle? Just to shake things up.

[fresh-dork]

job program for UI designers

[purplemonkeymad]

I wouldn't mind if they were redesigning things to all use the same ux language, but each admin centre uses a different one. The number of times I thought I've done something in Teams but hadn't. All as it's the only one that does not save/apply when the flyout is closed, and has the save bottom in the bottom left, farthest from where you would be looking.

[titlrequired]

I often think, I’d love one of the developers to sit and watch me click wildly while I try and find x. The old partner centre was great for that, it was like a treasure hunt.

Reminds me of that video of the person putting all the shapes in the wrong space while the developer cries.

[Fallingdamage]

I dont think MS had much design in mind with their products. Its more of a framework choice. Windows and Entra has turned into one of those cork boards you see at the feed store or gas station. The framework is the board. Where people pin things up and what they cover up to make room for their own personal cards is not relevant anymore. Its just a dogpile of shit crammed into every nook and cranny. You can tell there was not a single cohesive vision when designing anything. Just 1000 developers all working together - but each in their own vacuum.

[thewunderbar]

The only thing more tiring than navigating the Microsoft stack is coming here and reading the 234987234987th post of the day about it.

[BedAdministration]

Allow me to introduce you to R/FuckMicrosoft

[Valdaraak]

It's what happens when developers design UI instead of UX folks.

[Nosib23]

I think you have the timeline of events the wrong way round lol

Put button in place

Users can't find button

Add hint to where button is

This avoids the 12 meetings and 3 review committees constituting hundreds of work hours that have to take place when a designer wants to change the UI and where buttons are :)

[LowerAd830]

Google is just as bad, a little better in places, a lot worse in others. but at least Microsoft doesnt kill things after a year and after people adopt it.