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1. I& #39;m fascinated by how the official design of something is often completely redesigned by the people doing the actual work.
Example: at doctor& #39;s office today I filled out forms explaining why I was there.
Reality: doc asked same questions and took notes, w/o reading the form.
Example: at doctor& #39;s office today I filled out forms explaining why I was there.
Reality: doc asked same questions and took notes, w/o reading the form.
2. The mismatch is that the *designer* has assumptions about the real world that they never check. Even after their design is in the world.
Architects are notorious for never visiting their buildings after they& #39;re finished. Also true for many kinds of design, tech & beyond.
Architects are notorious for never visiting their buildings after they& #39;re finished. Also true for many kinds of design, tech & beyond.
3. The system or product works, but only because it& #39;s the front line workers, often uncredited, who are the glue holding it together.
I think of grocery store clerks teaching people how to use the self-checkout machines. Or the IT department training ppl how to use Google Docs.
I think of grocery store clerks teaching people how to use the self-checkout machines. Or the IT department training ppl how to use Google Docs.
4. The best designers are curious about the gaps - they want to know who is filling them in and how, maybe, their next design wouldn& #39;t require so much assistance to work well.
But much design is like those office forms - the designer doesn& #39;t know it& #39;s not really working.
But much design is like those office forms - the designer doesn& #39;t know it& #39;s not really working.
5. In the tech world one data goldmine is customer support - what features and scenarios generate the most calls?
But too often design is detached from that data. @automattic has every new employee work in support for weeks b4 they start their job. Every org should do this!
But too often design is detached from that data. @automattic has every new employee work in support for weeks b4 they start their job. Every org should do this!
6. Whenever I see a design gap, I think about:
- Does the designer know this exists?
- Did they learn from it?
- Did they try to close the gap through an update?
- What made that hard to do?
- What culture incentives/disincentives influenced them?
- Does the designer know this exists?
- Did they learn from it?
- Did they try to close the gap through an update?
- What made that hard to do?
- What culture incentives/disincentives influenced them?
7. I think often about @JaneFultonSuri& #39;s book Thoughtless Acts - and how inventive everyday people are in filling in gaps in their daily lives.
But there are gaps in every app and hi-tech thing too.
But there are gaps in every app and hi-tech thing too.
