You know, I couldn’t have said it better. My experience with QuarkXPress 8 mirrors the new analysis in the Pfeiffer Report: “QuarkXPress 8 is More than Three Times Faster than Previous Releases.” I hadn’t quantified my experience, but 3x seems about right.
How did Quark do it? Through a thousand small improvements to the interface, based on their observations of how people work. (OK, maybe “a thousand” isn’t an accurate number, but it sounds more professional than “lots and lots.”)
Quark’s press release is below. Here’s my favorite bit:
“The redesign of the QuarkXPress user interface takes existing tools and expands their functionality in an intuitive way to make the user instantly more efficient at common tasks.”
“A spectacular example of this approach is the new picture tool: just through intelligent user interface design, it allows the user to crop, rotate, scale and reposition an image that has been imported, without ever needing to change tools or go to the menu bar.”
Amen.
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QuarkXPress 8 Benchmark Study Shows that Productivity is the “Ultimate Killer Feature”
In an In-Depth Analysis of QuarkXPress 8, the Pfeiffer Report Finds that QuarkXPress 8 is More than Three Times Faster than Previous Releases
Denver, CO - July 3, 2008 - Quark Inc. released today the results of a benchmark analysis report that finds that the redefined workflow of QuarkXPress 8 increases users’ productivity, efficiency and return on investment. Conducted by Pfeiffer Consulting, an independent technology group, the benchmarking report compares user interface efficiency and workflow productivity of QuarkXPress 8 with earlier releases of the software, including QuarkXPress 6.5 and QuarkXPress 7.31. The Pfeiffer Report ultimately concludes that QuarkXPress 8 is more than three times faster than previous releases.
Announced in May 2008, QuarkXPress 8 delivers superior design power through a new, intuitive interface developed purposefully for the creation of high-end page layout. With QuarkXPress 8, users can work faster and smarter with tools that are easily accessed and require fewer clicks.
Andreas Pfeiffer of the Pfeiffer Report said, “The redesign of the QuarkXPress user interface takes existing tools and expands their functionality in an intuitive way to make the user instantly more efficient at common tasks. A spectacular example of this approach is the new picture tool: just through intelligent user interface design, it allows the user to crop, rotate, scale and reposition an image that has been imported, without ever needing to change tools or go to the menu bar.”
Major Findings
Pfeiffer Consulting conducted 25 productivity benchmarks for the study focusing on various functions and user interface improvements introduced by QuarkXPress 8. The benchmarks included measures of improved tool efficiency, picture import and manipulation, file handling, workflow manipulation and many others. Major overall findings include:
- Productivity benchmarks conducted for this report show significant productivity and efficiency increases of many common page-layout operations, as well as improved file import and object manipulation capabilities.
- A newly introduced content tool allows significantly streamlined manipulation of boxes as well as their content, eliminating the need for time consuming tool changes or menu commands.
- Direct import of native Adobe Illustrator files in QuarkXPress provides greater productivity when working with vector graphics.
- Seamless integration and creative control of interactive content in the page-layout environment are key benefits of QuarkXPress 8.
- The cumulative impact of individual productivity gains may provide a return on investment (ROI) of several thousand dollars per workstation over previous releases of QuarkXPress.
To find out more about the report and download the free eight-page summary version, please visit 8.quark.com/pfeiffer_report.html.
To view the full results, as well as detailed descriptions of the benchmark methodology, download the complete benchmark report at www.pfeifferreport.com.
About Pfeiffer Consulting
Pfeiffer Consulting is an independent technology research institute and consulting operation focused on the needs of publishing, digital content production, and new media professionals.
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