Priority Metrics

Learnability

Learning how to use split view is incredibly simple. The motion of dragging the application window to the screen's edge is very repeatable and feels very intuitive. Most users should understand how to operate the component after watching another user.

Efficiency

Using split view increases the efficiency of the user significantly. Instead of "alt-tabbing" to compare two projects. The user is able to look at both projects at the same time. An inefficient way to make a split screen is to resize the windows manually. This method takes more actions and takes more time. Therefore using the snap feature in Windows is very efficient.

Memorability

Memorizing how to use split view is fairly easy. The simplicity of the component is what makes it easy to recall when needed. With Windows 10 the cornering feature makes memorizing more complicated, but even if forgotten there are other less effiecient ways of doing the same thing.

Errors

Errors can always happen, but with split view errors are very forgivable. One way split view reduces errors is by providing a preview of how much area the resized window will take. This preview ensures that the user knows if the mouse is in the correct location. With cornering in Windows 10 one error that commonly appears is when the user drags the window to the corner to try to split the screen in half. This will result in an error, but the preview of the what the resized window should look like will catch most errors.

Satifaction

Many users of of the split view feature are very satisfied with the results. Most users want to learn simpler and faster ways of doing things on the computer. When users learn about split view after years of using other methods they would most likely respond will gratitude.

Key Characteristics

Simplicity

The reason that split view is a great component is because split view is simple to use and effective. Most users learn how to use the system quickly and then use it constantly. Because of the simplicity split view is continued in Windows 10, with a few upgrades.

Platform Specific Instances

Windows 8

In Windows 8 many users did not use the new feature of making a split view of two applications outside of the desktop. The switching between application mode and destop mode reduced efficiency and caused confusion with most users. Because of the failure of Windows 8, most people did not get to experiement with this component.

Windows 10

Windows 10 took the best from Windows 7 and removed many features that the customers didn't like from Windows 8. Many users still liked how they could split view in the desktop, so Microsoft upgraded the functionality of the feature. In Windows 10 screens can be split up to four ways. With the removal of the start screen from Windows 8 that version of split view was also removed.

OS X El Capitan

El Capitan has a confusing way of making split screen. Maybe it is because I am a Windows user, but clicking and dragging the maximize button does not seem intuitive for first time learners. Another problem is the switching between the full screen and destop which creates many errors and increases inefficiencies.