Qubes Known UX Issues

[ninavizz]

For Qubes to be a user-friendly experience for non-technical users (who also deserve a Reasonably Secure OS!) there are some UX things we'd like to request the Qubes team to partner with us on updating.

Keeping the below as an itemized list for tracking purposes, with things prioritized via the "P#" designations at the beginning of each item's H1.

Prioritization note (Nina's): I'd like to communicate to the Qubes team that as their partner, we are present to listen and to collaborate in a 2-way relationship guided by reason. Out the gate as part of our next-step (presenting issues to them) then, I'd like to honestly reflect the urgency of each issue—without pre-emptive compromise on our part, anticipating their likely & reasonable blockers. <3

P1: Activity Notifications (black upper-right toast bubbles)

Problem: "Notifications Fatigue" is real, and more probable when a user simply doesn't understand at least half the information they're being notified of. To prioritize the safety of non-technical users, we need to be sensitive to not dampen their cognitive radar for oddities they don't understand and should note to more technical users.

Solution (needs validation): 1. Group all items prompted by a single event, in one bubble that expands; vs today's rainfall of black bubbles. 2. Offer a "mode" for non-technical users, whereby they are not notified of alltehthings; or at least, notifications are in more plain-English and/or consolidated. It is unreasonable to expect all users seeking a "Reasonable Secure" OS experience, to learn the detailed IT verbiage required to understand today's wealth of Notification 411 as part of OpSec 101. Will post proposed treatment, as time permits.

P2: Attach USB Flow

Problem: It's a sucky experience to require users to initiate device/VM pairing at their leisure. It also alienates non-technical users that there is no available visual helper to step them through this unusual process.

Solution (partial validation in-process, so far going well): When a new device is detected by Qubes, automatically prompt users with user-friendly verbiage to pair that device to a VM. Furthermore, offer a visual-guide to step non-technical users through that process. Will post validated flow, as time permits.

P3: Boot sequence graphics

Problem: Boot sequence graphics are visually inconsistent. This is likely to "throw-off" more culturally mainstream American users who associate visually scrappy experiences as probable to originate from nefarious hackers. "Notifications Fatigue" and "Oddities Fatigue" are both problematic for non-technical users triggered by things maker-types more easily shrug-off.

Solution (Validated): Visual simplification of initial Boot screen that likely has not been touched in the code since early Qubes builds. Fancy graffix not necessary, just consistency. Will post validated flow, as time permits.

[ninavizz]

Idea: wrt Qubes notifications (the black bubbles) create a system-preferences level option for the user to receive "Detailed Notifications" or "Simple Notifications."

For "Detailed Notifications"

• Keep as-is

For "Simple Notifications"

• Plain language, single-sentence blurbs
  • In a later release, ideally with "Learn More" links
• One bubble per user-action
• Omit OS minutae non-technical users won't understand

[ninavizz]

Now being handled upstream with Qubes.