• Boredom in Design
This happened on Twitter:
Dawn said:
"Provocative ideas" versus "Ideal design" seems to be a common topic these days…
Then I said:
@dmlozzi I think designers are bored and designing for their future selves, and I think real users are begging for fewer things to learn.
Dawn said:
uhm, @jonbell I don't know what a "real user" is & I completely disagree that designers are bored & designing for themselves. Completely.
--
Looks like I have some explaining to do.
Provocative vs. Ideal
The Seattle Public Library is provocative, and the architects that worked on it were reportedly so excited to come into work in the morning that several postponed retirement just to work on it.
I won't go into extensive detail here, but I think the usability of the building is sorely lacking. Here's a representative (handmade) sign they had to post up:
(from Mathowie's Temporary Signs set)
The library is riddled with these sorts of oversights. There's no question it's visually striking, but I think the overall experience sometimes suffers as a result. It is all sizzle and too little steak. It is provocative and hard to use.
(They also have "Norman Doors", where the handle is designed to pull but it's actually meant to be pushed. If you've read up on design, usability, and architecture, this is a rookie mistake.)
Striving for Something Greater
I think it's commendable when designers and artists want to stop the monotony, color outside the lines, or break the mold. I'd rather they push boundaries than just regurgitate the same concepts.
I've never seen a designer more frustrated than when they're told to reign in their ideas for a client, or mainstream acceptance, or reality. Doing the same thing over and over is boring … but sometimes it's what's been assigned. I think great designers can find a way to accept the reality of the deliverable (real people will use this) without being boring (Communist-era beige boxes).
There are plenty of examples of brilliant but usable design, they just tend to be more subtle. And there's nothing wrong with brilliant, usable, subtle design. I personally prefer it, even if it doesn't land on the front pages of design magazines.
First, Do No Harm
Anyone that's seen their interaction models go down in flames during user testing knows the pain of flying a little too close to the sun. I have wanted to bang on the single-sided glass before, screaming "CLICK THE THINGEE ON THE RIGHT OH MY GOD WHY CAN'T YOU SEE IT?!"
I have, dozens of times, tried mocking up an idea that I was super excited about, only to run it by people and find that it was unworkable in the real world. With "real users".
I have tried to suck it up and admit that my idea may have been "daring" or "fun" or "adventurous" but far from "usable", "appropriate", or "discoverable". It's a hard thing to admit, especially when the redesign leads you to the same boring solution you always use.
The Place for Innovation
I'd love to see more designer playgrounds on the web. Show me some amazing new interaction model! Explain to me why your new approach to typography will change the world! Let's go! We're all designers here, we'll swap ideas!
If your idea really is great, both because it's daring but also because it's usable, we'll be the first to support you and encourage its use in the real world, on a paying gig.
But if it's neat without being particularly practical, designers should help fellow designers see that. Maybe it can be re-worked to go from a far-out pipe dream to reality, and then everyone can benefit.
Food for thought.
With you on this one, why not do both, or make things more subtle? Great post.