[IxDA Discuss] Learning to design - critiques

[peter sikking]

Donna,

First of all, let me avoid a "design" misunderstanding.
I am talking about interaction architecture, the
model/concept/structure of the UI, not about graphics,
which is best left to graphic designers.

>> have already come to the conclusion that they don't have it.
>> I say that if they did not get it by now, they never will.

> Why not? I didn't say they had been in the industry forever and never
> developed design skills. Most are fairly new to the industry  
> (couple of
> years experience) and have naturally started at the easy point,  
> learning
> UCD techniques. They are smart, capable people who will probably make
> good designers with some training, support and experience.

Well, with those couple of years and the full immersion in UCD
and UCD techniques, I expect the if one person on the team
(can't be more) had it, she would know it herself by now.

She would be burning for interaction architecture. She
would not focus on incrementally improving existing stuff,
but instead focus on the concept, keeping it pure and in one
piece under the avalanche of input, feedback and usability
test results.

And you would know in your first meeting that this person
was on the team.

For me interaction architecture is very similar to solving
mathematical problems. In a way very structured and exact,
but also a very intuitive process.

We all know maths at secondary school: some kids had it,
some kids didn't. Those who had it knew where to start
which methods (they had learned) to apply, and when they
where finished. This who did not have it could scrape by,
if they worked really hard.

>> You describe what is a good usability team. Why take them
>> out of their comfort zone and reduce their productivity to
>> a crawl. Get an interaction architect in and work _together_.
>> In a limited amount of time, you can get fantastic results.
>>
> Yes, but there's this real world I'm working in where I have an  
> existing
> team & a huge shortage of experienced interaction designers ;)

I know what you mean. I have no idea what the situation is like
in the US, but here in Europe the average is one person in a
100.000 can do this. In Berlin that means 3.5 million inhabitants,
35 competent interaction architects.

> I do need
> to take them out of their comfort zone. If they don't do the  
> design, the
> business teams will do it, and I know who I'd prefer to be designing
> interfaces...

I had a look at your website and see that you got it. Good.

I propose that you steal from the thousand(s) year old practice
of architecture.

You are the principal architect. I think you were already
contracted for that role, so no problem there. All major
decisions have to be taken by you. You keep the model(s)
clean and in one piece.

You multiply yourself by making whole UCD team associate
architects. Either singly or in pairs you let them work on
a certain sub-system. They have to do most of the legwork.
In one or two meetings a week you work together with each
person or pair. Here all decisions are taken and the design
actually advances.

I don't think you need a coordination meeting with all
the associates. You coordinate in your work meetings,
and if the UCD team sits together then they can
cross-pollinate there.

By working in this way they can learn a hell of a lot
from you, and maybe one of them still has got it, and
will float to the surface.

Good luck,

     --ps

         principal user interaction architect
         man + machine interface works

         http://mmiworks.net/blog : on interaction architecture