[IxDA Discuss] Usability as Feature

[Jared M. Spool]

On Feb 1, 2007, at 12:47 PM, David Malouf wrote:

> While I agree with the sentiment here and believe that this is an
> overarching goal of good UX design, I would say that there are  
> definitely
> times when the business process needs are counter to the needs of the
> end-users. I.e. there are other stakeholders besides the end-users  
> who's
> lives are being made easier which makes end-user (or a different  
> set of
> end-user's) lives more difficult.
>
> This happens a ton in enterprise software. Now we as good designers  
> need
> to really challenge all these moments, but often (more than I'd  
> like to
> think) the conflict is real.

David,

If the business process's needs trump the end users' need, its only  
because the market supports that activity. However, in the long run,  
all that does is open up opportunities to meet *both* business- 
process needs and end-user needs.

Inotherwords, while the condition you describe does exist for short  
periods in enterprise software, history has repeatedly shown that it  
doesn't last long. Eventually, if the market has potential, someone  
will introduce a next-generation solution that fills the gap.

This is the traditional transition point from feature-based design  
(stage 2 in the Market Maturity Model) to productivity-based design  
(stage 3).

Jared