[IxDA Discuss] design by committee??

[Wilson, Russell]

I think this "sounds good" in theory, but is difficult to
do well in practice.

Communicate, facilitate, elaborate, collaborate... (can you feel
the time slipping by?)

And I'm really not sure how you facilitate an award-winning design?
If you're "facilitating", you're not designing, right?  Unless you're
thinking that there is a "facilitator" (or "decider" in Bush-speak) that
isn't really a designer, but manages a team of designers?

If several people skilled in different areas provide input 
to guide the design process (constraints, use cases, etc.),
that's one thing.

But, if several people skilled in different areas collaborate
on the design and vote democratically on the ultimate design,
I believe you have a problem.

This is not ego based; I am not the best designer in the world.
But, I do believe that ultimately one person needs to have authority
over design for conceptual integrity, along with the standard
checks and balances (so that your new enterprise portal is not based 
on the infamous hotdog stand color scheme)




 

-----Original Message-----
From: discuss-bounces at lists.interactiondesigners.com
[mailto:discuss-bounces at lists.interactiondesigners.com] On Behalf Of
Daniel Szuc
Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 3:44 AM
To: discuss at ixda.org
Subject: Re: [IxDA Discuss] design by committee??

[Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted
material.]

Agree. 

Are you designing for yourself or for the greater good of the products
and its business success? Its all too easy to get locked into thinking
you have the best & only solution.

Suggest its important to not only communicate your own design but to
facilitate openly to improve it & understand constraints. 

Rgds,

Daniel Szuc
Principal Usability Consultant
Apogee Usability Asia Ltd
www.apogeehk.com
'Usability in Asia'

-----Original Message-----
From: discuss-bounces at lists.interactiondesigners.com
[mailto:discuss-bounces at lists.interactiondesigners.com] On Behalf Of
Dave Cronin
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 8:16 AM
To: rajesh.sidharthan at oracle.com; Bret Hekking; discuss at ixda.org
Subject: Re: [IxDA Discuss] design by committee??


[Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted
material.]

> Raj said:
>
> To be a successful designer is not to be the only person who comes up 
> with bright design ideas.
> But also to be a moderator who can evaluate any ideas against the 
> need.

This is so true!

By being a facilitator rather than a director, you help the rest of the
team get invested in the solution. Who cares whose idea it was
orginally?

-d
 

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