5.18.2008
the purpose of good design
“What is the purpose of good design if there is no one who can use it? Like the mythical tree that falls in a forest if no one heard it crash, is a product’s design any good if it remains on a museum’s pedestal? […]
When a product is lauded by the industry and the critics as an example of good design but struggles to reach the hands of the people it is meant for, is that an example of art or sculpture, a creative expression of the artist’s personal vision manifested tangibly rather than any validation of what is good in design? […]
What is the purpose of a design award for a product that failed to meet its own creative brief?” ~Niti Bhan [via putting people first]
When it comes to user interface design, what pleases the designerati may not always coincide with the needs of end users. Both are not mutually exclusive, of course. But we as designers have a subconscious tendency to choose one over the other. It’s easy to say ‘design for the users’ and argue it with [insert your favourite design philosophy]. At the end of the day, what really matters to me personally, is to not assume too much of what I know about my users.
Let the data helps you. Don’t skim on contextual studies, ethnography, qualitative insights or simple things like personas creation and structured analysis. Interaction or interface design is not about guesstimating or well blended gradient.
