The user is on their own

Scope of “Intuitive” vs. “Learned” Interfaces

• Many argue “intuition” mostly means prior learning and domain mental models; nothing is truly self-evident.
• Interfaces can be made easy for beginners or efficient for experts, but often not both; pro tools (CAD, audio/video, Ableton-like apps) are cited as validly complex with high skill ceilings.
• Borrowing familiar patterns (OS and platform guidelines) is seen as the only reliable route to “intuitive-feeling” UI.

Training, Documentation, and Community Support

• Several comments stress that training, manuals, help screens, and community resources are essential and underused.
• Some criticize modern software and hardware for shipping with poor or absent documentation and offloading education to YouTube and the community.
• Good onboarding and migration tools (e.g., in ORMs) are appreciated as part of making complex systems usable.

Domain Knowledge and Mental Models (Drills, Faucets, Calculators)

• The drill-torque example splits opinion: some say the UI is bad; others say users can succeed with a vague model (“higher number = more power”) without understanding mechanics.
• Point made that UI alone can’t give users domain understanding; users’ mental models often differ from designers’ and must be respected.
• Similar ambiguity exists for faucets and calculator percent keys: behavior suits common tasks but violates other intuitions.

Accessibility, Public Infrastructure, and “Moron in a Hurry”

• Debate over how far to optimize for novices: some insist public infrastructure (ticket machines, alarms, doors, taxes, banking) must work even for stressed, inexperienced users.
• Others argue not everything should be designed for the “lowest common denominator” but that in-person assistance and support centers are necessary.
• There’s concern about older or less tech-literate people being excluded as computers become de facto mandatory.

Corporate Incentives and Product Quality

• Ad-driven platforms are accused of preferring “brain-dead simple,” engagement-focused interfaces over deep learning resources.
• Apple is praised by some for clear guides and approachable documentation; others emphasize its lock-in and control, preferring more open ecosystems.

Design Principles and Evaluation

• Usability testing via task completion without backtracking is mentioned as a concrete metric.
• Aviation and industrial standards (color meanings, qualitative displays, standardized labels, minimal clutter) are cited as mature models largely ignored in “webcrap.”