12-18-2013 03:12 PM
I have been developing software in LabVIEW for about two months, and I have been keeping track of usability issues I have faced along the way. The list now numbers in the dozens. After a while, I started categorizing them, adding more examples, and coming up with suggested improvements and new features to mitigate these issues. I realize some of these features may be harder to implement than I assume, but I would like to provide this list to NI LabVIEW developers in the hopes of improving the usability of the software. What is the best way for me to do this?
12-18-2013 03:55 PM - edited 12-18-2013 03:56 PM
Write each one up as an idea and post it in the ideas exchange (but first do a search if they are duplicates of existing ideas!).
Be as clear as possible and add illistrations if possible.
12-18-2013 04:39 PM
Also, look at some of the popular ideas in the idea exchange, as well as some of those which have already been implemented, to see what makes an idea popular (like Altenbach said, a clear explanation of the problem and the solution, including illustrations, is certainly helpful).
Be aware of the IE timeframes. LV is released on a yearly schedule and only has so many new features/changes each year. Most ideas in the IE will probably never make it in (some rightly so, many simply because of limited resources), but quite a few do, so you certainly shouldn't be discouraged. If your idea is good, it can certainly make it.
There is certainly an advantage that's gained from being new. As experienced users, many have us have become used to things which can be annoying or done differently. It's good to have someone with a fresh view.
After you wittled down your list to ideas that haven't been posted yet (or possibly before too), I suggest you post the remainder of your list to the BreakPoint to ask people for comments. It's not that common to find people who properly document and communicate the issues they have (over the past decade, I can only remember one user of my programs who was really good at this), so it can be very useful to other people - http://forums.ni.com/t5/BreakPoint/bd-p/BreakPoint