moss
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Carlisle, Massachusetts, U.S.
I worked for many years in the software industry, the last 15 or so before I was laid off and walked away from it I was a "User Interface Designer". In software a user interface designer creates the device screen visual or user interface layer on top of the underlying code/functionality.
Reality is everything human-made we touch is user interface, that would be a door knob, vehicle shift lever etc. In software interface design there is a baseline rule, as few clicks as possible to achieve whatever the user is trying to do. It's actually very difficult to keep to that rule. Think about when you're buying stuff online, it gets tedious when you have to click through 6 different screens to finish a transaction, someone has probably worked really hard to get those clicks as low as possible per transaction. That's why I never fill out a survey "How was your shopping experience?" at the end of purchase transaction, I've had enough of clicking through multiple screens ;-)
In tree climbing we are in a highly dynamic user interface experience, even things not human-made like the tree are interfaces we work with. Every move we make is like a "click" in a software or app interface. Some interfaces are designed (intentionally or not) to slow us down and think, or help make climbing safer, like a triple action double locking carabiner gate. A locking carabiner would be sweet if there was only one movement to open or close it, but in the interest of safety there are multiple movements, even if we unconsciously blend them into what seems like one movement.
As it turns out technical tree climbers are experts in streamlining user interfaces. Every move, every step we make in the process of climbing adds up to time spent. So it seems trivial to worry about it, "No worries" if you have to make three distinct actions to say attach your lanyard around an anchor. Actually if you can accomplish something you do frequently while climbing in two motions instead of three, it is meaningful over 4 hours in a tree and very meaningful over weeks, months and even years of climbing. Every time a climber runs into some climbing process that makes them do multiple movements beyond what seems efficient we try to figure out a way to do it in less clicks. That makes us real-time tree climber user interface designers.
I'm bringing this up because we're all innovators trying to make our climbing smoother, more efficient while keeping safety at the top of the priority list. For my climbing style I've found that a cinched carabiner anchor (stationary rope mode) for my short lanyard is very effective, ergonomic, efficient and if considered and implemented properly, very safe. I'm not going to debate the safety of that further here (there is an existing thread on the subject) but it is a good example of trying to improve functionality and user interface for the way I climb.
On the subject of carabiner cinching a lanyard, many have commented, "Just use a thimble prussik to choke the lanyard", or "Put a ring on the end of the lanyard, pull a bight through and spike it with a carabiner". These are all excellent safe solutions but... toooo many clicks for a technique that I use constantly. Other problems too, thimble prussiks get in the way when I'm flipping my lanyard through tight spaces (been there done that), more movements required to move the prussik down to get a clean lanyard end. As a result I've been working on other solutions to this "problem". In a thread I started recently I prototyped sewing an F8 on to the end of my lanyard. Works great, very strong, won't come out unintentionally (for a short lanyard not a remote anchor). I've tested two versions on multiple climbs rec and work. As of now I'm done with it and back to carabiner cinching, too many motions to set or take out, doesn't choke up tight quickly with one motion, takes multiple motions to take out, and I can't quickly slide the cinch up a leader when I want to as I advance my position. The F8 lanyard has failed, too many clicks to get where you're going. I'm fine with it, had to rule it in or out.
I hope folks find this tree climber "user interface design" idea useful and interesting. Looking forward to your insights as you look at your climbing and gear in possibly a different way.
-AJ
Reality is everything human-made we touch is user interface, that would be a door knob, vehicle shift lever etc. In software interface design there is a baseline rule, as few clicks as possible to achieve whatever the user is trying to do. It's actually very difficult to keep to that rule. Think about when you're buying stuff online, it gets tedious when you have to click through 6 different screens to finish a transaction, someone has probably worked really hard to get those clicks as low as possible per transaction. That's why I never fill out a survey "How was your shopping experience?" at the end of purchase transaction, I've had enough of clicking through multiple screens ;-)
In tree climbing we are in a highly dynamic user interface experience, even things not human-made like the tree are interfaces we work with. Every move we make is like a "click" in a software or app interface. Some interfaces are designed (intentionally or not) to slow us down and think, or help make climbing safer, like a triple action double locking carabiner gate. A locking carabiner would be sweet if there was only one movement to open or close it, but in the interest of safety there are multiple movements, even if we unconsciously blend them into what seems like one movement.
As it turns out technical tree climbers are experts in streamlining user interfaces. Every move, every step we make in the process of climbing adds up to time spent. So it seems trivial to worry about it, "No worries" if you have to make three distinct actions to say attach your lanyard around an anchor. Actually if you can accomplish something you do frequently while climbing in two motions instead of three, it is meaningful over 4 hours in a tree and very meaningful over weeks, months and even years of climbing. Every time a climber runs into some climbing process that makes them do multiple movements beyond what seems efficient we try to figure out a way to do it in less clicks. That makes us real-time tree climber user interface designers.
I'm bringing this up because we're all innovators trying to make our climbing smoother, more efficient while keeping safety at the top of the priority list. For my climbing style I've found that a cinched carabiner anchor (stationary rope mode) for my short lanyard is very effective, ergonomic, efficient and if considered and implemented properly, very safe. I'm not going to debate the safety of that further here (there is an existing thread on the subject) but it is a good example of trying to improve functionality and user interface for the way I climb.
On the subject of carabiner cinching a lanyard, many have commented, "Just use a thimble prussik to choke the lanyard", or "Put a ring on the end of the lanyard, pull a bight through and spike it with a carabiner". These are all excellent safe solutions but... toooo many clicks for a technique that I use constantly. Other problems too, thimble prussiks get in the way when I'm flipping my lanyard through tight spaces (been there done that), more movements required to move the prussik down to get a clean lanyard end. As a result I've been working on other solutions to this "problem". In a thread I started recently I prototyped sewing an F8 on to the end of my lanyard. Works great, very strong, won't come out unintentionally (for a short lanyard not a remote anchor). I've tested two versions on multiple climbs rec and work. As of now I'm done with it and back to carabiner cinching, too many motions to set or take out, doesn't choke up tight quickly with one motion, takes multiple motions to take out, and I can't quickly slide the cinch up a leader when I want to as I advance my position. The F8 lanyard has failed, too many clicks to get where you're going. I'm fine with it, had to rule it in or out.
I hope folks find this tree climber "user interface design" idea useful and interesting. Looking forward to your insights as you look at your climbing and gear in possibly a different way.
-AJ
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