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Interfaces: Star Trek (TNG) control panels

Welcome to part two in my ongoing saga of science-fiction inspired interfaces. I'd like to say that this is a deep exploration of how futurism, when removed from technological constraints, reveals the essence of usability, but mostly it's just a reflection of the fact that I watch too much TV.

I should say that, when I talk Trek, I'm usually talking about Star Trek: The Next Generation (ST:TNG to some of us). Being born in 1970, I'm a child of all things 80's, and for that I make no apologies.

One aspect of Star Trek that always amazed me was how much reliance the relatively distant future still had on control panels. Even in the 24th century, people sit in chairs and tap on keys. In ST:TNG's case, the keys are all touchscreen monitors, and the entire ship is more or less controlled by giant iPhones.

The really intersting thing is that, no matter how complex the command, everything seems to be doable in about two keystrokes. This is where the real technological magic must come into play. Of course, we can't see the keystrokes, so this usability miracle is hidden from us, but I've come to the conclusion that it works something like this: (1) the Captain gives a command, (2) the computer translates the command into big, shiny buttons, and (3) someone pushes those buttons.

So, let's say that Captain Picard gives the following order: "Set a course for Starbase 211. Engage". This produces the following buttons:

Of course, this raises the question: why have the buttons at all? From the psychological standpoint, the crew has to have something to do and feel good about. It's also, presumably, a little dangerous to have everything you say turn into reality, so someone has to push a big button to make it happen. Of course, the really important commands, like "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot." require no button-pushing at all.

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