Apower user is auser of computers, software and other electronic devices who uses advanced features of computer hardware,[1][2][3] operating systems,[4] programs, or websites[5] which are not used by the average user. A power user might not have extensive technical knowledge of the systems they use[6] but is rather characterized by competence or desire to make the most intensive use of computer programs or systems.
The term came into use in the 1980s, as advocates for computing developed special skills for working with or customizing existing hardware and software. Power users knew the best ways to perform common tasks and find advanced information before the arrival of the commercial Internet. On PC platforms, power users read magazines likeByte orPC Magazine, and knew enough about operating systems to create and edit batch files, write short programs inBASIC, and adjust system settings. They tended to customize or "supercharge" existing systems, rather than create new software.[7]
Inenterprise software systems, "Power User" may be a formal role given to an individual who is not aprogrammer but a specialist inbusiness software. Often these people retain their normal user job role but also function in testing, training, and first-tier support of the enterprise software.[6][8]
Some software applications are regarded as particularly suited for power users and may be designed as such. Examples includeVLC media player, amultimedia framework, a player, and a server, which includes complex features not found in other media player suites.[9][10]
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User testing for software often focuses on awe or regular users.[11] Power users can require different user interface elements compared to regular and minimal users, as they may need less help and fewer cues. A power user might use a program full-time, compared to a casual or occasional user. Thus a program which caters to power users will typically include features that make the interface easier for experts to use, even if these features might be mystifying to beginners.
A typical example is extensive keybindings, like Ctrl+F or Alt+Enter; having keyboard bindings andshortcuts for many functions is a hallmark ofpower-user centric software design, as it enables users who put forth more effort to learn the shortcuts to operate the program quickly without removing their hands from the keyboard.
Power users typically want to operate the software with little interaction, or as fast as possible, and be able to perform tasks in a precise, exactly-reproducible way, whereas casual users may be happy if the program can be intuitively made to doapproximately what they wanted. To aid in the automation of repetitive tasks during heavy usage, power-user centric interfaces often provide the ability to composemacros, and program functions may be pre-conceived to with the intention that they will be used programmatically inscripting.
Interface design may have to make trade-offs between confusing beginners andminimalists versus the elaborate needs of experts and power users. These concerns may overlap partially with theblinking twelve problem, in which a complex user interface causes users to avoid certain features. It may be extremely difficult to both appeal to new users, who want user interfaces to be intuitive, and experts, who want power and flexibility.
However, there aresolutions for these problems, such as:
Users may alsoerroneously label themselves as power users when they are less than fully competent,[12] further complicating the requirements of designing software which caters to the desires and needs of those users.
A simple intuitive interface often increases thetechnical complexity of a program and impedes its efficient use, while a well-designed but complex-seeming interface may increase efficiency by making many advanced features quickly accessible to experts. For example, a program with many advancedkeyboard shortcuts mayseem to be needlessly complex, but experienced power users may find it easier and quicker to avoid long sequences of mouse clicks to navigate menus and popups. Such menus and popups may exist tointuitively guide new users along a desired course of action, but they are often overly-simplistic by design so that novices might easily grasp the required steps. Providing both interfaces simultaneously is anoption but requires greatly extended development time, so trade-offs are often made.
SAP andOracle areenterprise systems that require a complex set of training to gainprofessional certification. Because of this, and also to encourage engagement with the systems, many companies have created a "Super User Model" (also called Power User, Champion) to take regular users and raise them to a level of leadership within the system. Doing this accomplishes three objectives:[6][8]
Extensive research has been done with the Super User Model in SAP, specifically in regard to the role they take in training and supporting end users. Currently, more than 70% of SAP companies utilize a form of the Super User Model.
InMicrosoftWindows 2000,Windows XP Professional, andWindows Server 2003, there is a "Power Users" group on the system that gives more permissions than a normal restricted user, but stops short ofAdministrator permissions. If a user is a member of the Power Users group, they have a greater chance of exposing the system to malware over a normal user and canpromote their account to an Administrator by purposely installing malware.[13] Thus, the Power Users group should be used with trustworthy and knowledgeable users only; it is not suitable to contain untrustworthy users. The Power Users group was made obsolete inWindows Vista as part of the consolidation of privilege elevation features in the introduction ofUser Account Control.[14] In Windows Vista Business l or higher, you can still create a "power user" via local users and groups, but there is no difference from a standard user because all the ACL entries of the file system are completely removed.
Software that power users may employ to optimize their workflows include the following:
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