If you see a UI walkthrough, they blew it
Max Rudberg:
These are novelty apps for people lusting for the very latest in app design. Besides using a more flat UI style, which is a topic for a different discussion, all apps contain non-standard interactions. This means users don’t know how to use them beforehand, and all start with a multi-step UI walkthrough before you get to use the app.
Rudberg’s referring to apps like Clear, and after a twitter discussion with Clear’s developer, he clarified parts of his statements.
But I think he’s right. I’ve owned Clear for iOS and Mac for a long time now, and every time I try to use it, I have to first remember how to use it. I’ve come to an appreciation of the design and the hard work that’s gone into it, but I’ve never put the app to any good use.
I have a hard time watching movies or TV shows in which the director uses fancy camera angles and editing techniques that ultimately get in the way of the story.
Similarly, I have a hard time using an app when the developer makes UI decisions that ultimately get in the way of using the app.
via DF