The Fog of Design: Five Lessons on the complexity of Practice
I have re-bumped into this paper written by Uday Gajendar. I especially like his five lessons, they still resonate:
- Lesson 1: Designers should be like ecologists, conscious of the integrated system of invisible consequences.
- Lesson 2: Asking the right questions driven by a set of conceptual frameworks can be more important than domain expertise itself.
- Lesson 3: Process documentation is vital, not just for "nice portfolios" but for recording decisions and rationale, capturing knowledge, and providing visual evidence during project reviews.
- Lesson 4: Design can be a challenge, but influencing non-design stakeholders to implement the desired solution is more difficult.
- Lesson 5: Design leadership has hidden dependencies upon peer designers, support engineers, even sales reps.
- 1.2.2009
Interaction '09
IxDA is having there second annual conference this year in Vancouver. Not only am I excited about the content of the conference, I'm also excited to be with my tribe. It is refreshing each year to meet up with so many other Interaction Designers who share some of the same core beliefs that I do. But Interaction '09 is much more than a tribal meet up, it is a conference driven by quality content that will help me expand my view and practice. One of the best qualities of Interaction '08 was the fact that I was able to meet a variety of designers who practice in many different areas. This is not a solely web conference. I met people who worked on controls within cars, medical devices, mobile devices and other tangible digital products. The range was great. If you can swing it, I highly recommend attending. Learn More!
- 12.20.2008
Tenets of Good Web Applications
In a recent exchange with a potential employer, I was asked to define the terms simple, useful and smart. I answered in the context of creating a good experience for web applications, which of course is applicable to creating a good experience for all digital products and services. Here they are:
- Simple - A simple application not only reduces complexity it creates a meaningful experience.
- Useful - A useful application allows the user to easily accomplish their goals and needs.
- Smart - A smart application anticipates the needs of the users before they realize it.
- 12.18.2008
Things Change
Life has been quite turbulent lately. Last week I found out that I was being laid off. It was disappointing because I had poured a lot of energy into my job and into developing the design practice there. I fully understand the circumstances that led to the cuts and I appreciate the opportunities my former employer gave me over the last two and half years.
In times like this there is a tendency to be overtly introspective. And you then have to grasp onto something to look forward into the future. For me I start digging deeper into the bobbie d canon to find something to pick me up. In the movie Masked and Anonymous, dylan rambled, "things fall apart, especially all the neat order of rules and laws, the way we look at the world is the way we really are." And then I remember the eternal optimism my grandmother instilled upon to me and my siblings and cousins with the words she wrote, "With hope anything can happen." It's this optimism that drives my craft and empathetic outlook. In these times, we should look towards the future to envision not how things are but what they can be.
I am excited by my future prospects and opportunities. Especially my acceptance to the Board of IxDA. I can't wait to dig in and help lead this great organization into the future. More on this to come.
- 11.25.2008