Realtime Review
There's more to this than just having a fast viewport!
Supporting good Real-Time review involves designing software to allow users to check their work incrementally as they progress through tasks. This feature is crucial for both novice and experienced users, enabling them to verify the accuracy and effectiveness of their actions at any point in the process.
It is about giving users the ability to monitor and validate their work at any stage, fostering a sense of control and confidence. It's a proven critical aspect of usability that supports learning, reduces frustration, and enhances overall user satisfaction.
In the world of creative software, an example here might be being offering a preview of what a noise shader’s result looks like in isolation as:
- The user can see a preview of the feature even before they 'apply' it. This will help them to know if this is the right tool for the job.
- If the shader is applied in a stack, it might be hard to discern what this shader actually looks like without an independent preview.
Another area is previewing actions, some features in creative software offer previews of actions before they are applied, be sure that these actions are always real-time, that is to say, they update while settings are being adjusted, not just once the adjustment is complete.
Testing​
- Ensure users can preview individual effects (e.g., shaders, filters, or adjustments) in isolation.
- This doesn't always mean previewing features before you add them, this can add friction, which can slow down pro users. Use your judgement.
- Instant Feedback on Parameter Changes
- Check that feedback is given as parameters are adjusted, not just after they are adjusted.
- Check that your software doesn't require separate rasterisation steps in order to preview the results of an action, for example adding a transition.
Check After Improvement​
- Conceptual Burden
- Brain Strain