Use the menu for discoverability if you even need that, any of the options work.
For launching just partially type the application's name and press enter. Don't even need a menu, just use KRunner (Alt+F2, there are equivalents in all desktops).
My SO isn't confused by menus despite having little to no experience with desktop computers, and neither am I, but I don't even have a full blown "menu" because I don't need one; I just have dmenu installed.
I've been reading so many articles lately that say "Stuff's on fire, yo." But they don't go into why, they don't mention alternative solutions, or who is trying to do something about it. They are the journalistic equivalent of a tweet saying "Hey, my nose itches."
Don't keep me in suspense, did you develop a new means of itching said nose? Have you interviewed other itchees to find out if there's a new trend?
There's an entire half of this article missing where discussion of alternative methods of computer interaction are offered up. Voice launch, context-sensitive palettes, random launch lottery with an I'm Feeling Lucky button...
But it's not there, just an "I hate menus" kvetch.
Sigh.
Tell me a story, while you're complaining, and make sure you have an ending. Otherwise it's just a far-too-long bumper sticker.
I had no idea I could get back to a traditional menu mode (in KDE Plasma) if I wanted (I'm unsure if I do).
The menu doesn't educate me what the 'short command' for a program is, so it can't teach me how to find it or launch it directly by typing in that shorter name (but searching for the literal executable name does work if you happened to know it).
The tasks and other features are things I haven't noticed.
Maybe a built in 'demo / training' application could show me the intended workflow, and then ask me to replicate it within a test 'desktop window'?