[DUPLICATE] Frustrated with ATI User Interfaces??

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Posts: 6
Comments: 19

Over the years I have bought several versions of Acronis True Image software, but have always struggled to get comfortable with their User Interfaces. Finally I have figured out why, and I’m posting this feedback in the hope that other Users express their issues with the User Interface. (I have no real problem with the software, which is generally sound and pretty reliable - So please don't confuse this feedback by adding experiences of technical issues.)

Issue 1) I contend that the Designer/s of the User Interfaces lack/s certain experience and skills of Western Backup Software dialogs, terminology and screen displays.

For example:

1a. Throughout the ATI Recovery dialog, there is barely any use of the word RESTORE. Instead, the Designer/s has repeatedly used the word Recovery everywhere, both as a noun and as a verb. The sheer frequency of using the word Recovery, multiple times in a screen (i.e. in the heading, in a function label, in a description, etc) leads to ambiguity and uncertainty.

1b. Many dialog screens do not respond to Users in a normal way; i.e. On a file selection screen, when you double-click on a listed filename, nothing happens! (If you look very, very carefully you might see a pale highlight of the selected file, but it is seldom obvious.) Annoyingly, you then figure out that you have to press some other button to proceed with the selected file. This happens repeatedly in screens for selecting a file to Restore. See attachment example 1B.

1c. Most screens do not have a "Go Back" button, to back-out to the previous screen. Instead there is nearly always a Cancel button. Most times the Cancel option will go back to the beginning of the function, but other times it cancels the whole process. See attachment example 1C. - Here, Cancel, pointlessly closes the whole Acronis program!

1d. Many screens are far to "busy" with multiple functions and multiple headings. It seems as if the designer is not experienced in structuring multiple Dialog screens, but instead tries to cram multiple functions / options onto ONE screen. See attachment example 1D, which highlights the following typical issues:

  • The screen label of Disk Recovery is very weak when function is about assigning Source & Destination;
  • The sub-heading would be more descriptive if it said Restoring instead of the repetitious use of Recover-ing; (The word Recover is used in 5 places on this one Screen, increasing confusion.)
  • In turn, the sub-sub-heading should rather be an Instruction: Select (or Confirm) Source & Destination;
  • The Checkbox next to the Source file (Location) seems superfluous, in view of the previous multiple selection steps. It only becomes relevant after you press Show MBR option;
  • This screen has several unexplained Options in a slightly pale blue font: i.e. Switch Modes, Show MBR, Disk Recovery Options;
  • This screen has a further unexplained option in black font: Use Universal Restore;
  • Lastly, this screen has another "hidden" option, to restore the Disk Signature.  As with option to restore MBR, there is no on-screen explanation when to use these.
  • For such a busy screen, there is just one Help option (?). And it takes Users to a very dense and intimidating Help screen, covering many Options.  Why isn't the (?) symbol placed after each Option command, and linked to an individual description on the busy Help page?

Issue 2) There are many other examples of poor Interface Design which I'll not cover here. Some of them may be cultural, in the way that software is written over there. One main issue I notice (in Backup and Recovery dialogs) is the clunky design of screen selections, which often expects several steps before the User can proceed; i.e.:

- A scroll
- A selection
- A highlight
- A Click of some other button.

Instead of allowing the user to double-click a selection to proceed, the two+ step design seems intentioned for the User to correct / Change their mind. It is as if the designer doesn't know how to write a "go-back" routine into the dialog, once the User has proceeded to a later step. If you observe carefully, you can see this unnecessary two+ step selection process in many of the screen dialogs.

In closing: If you too feel that the screen designs and dialogs need to be better structured, and have more consistent labeling and layout, then please add a reply to this posting. Maybe the response will be high enough to get the attention of Acronis management. At the moment they seem unaware how the software has repeatedly evolved, with more and more added functionality, with increasingly awkward and inconsistent dialogs.

Cheers, Andrew.C

Attachment Size
example_1b.jpg 28 KB
example_1c.jpg 203.93 KB
example_1d.jpg 43.13 KB
Wed, 06/20/2012 - 16:09
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truwrikodrorowrelupicugojestutroclulachosaswunuhospikigawakijosaswenomaruclojeueclikaspedrubewidebrisubrohutrurifruuagothunugekedrumucisiuobrobrecrupeslapuswosluprothethibakaslechurathikucli
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Posts: 88
Comments: 4769

Hello Andrew,

Thank you for sharing your feedback with us, we really appreciate it!

I will forward your comments to our Product Management team via our Customer Listening System.

You can always submit your feedback directly to us from this link.

In case you have additional comments we have a sticky thread called Wish List, you can find it here.

Thank you.

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 07:54
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