Or ACD. :)

As a profession, we need more choices. Rather, we need to *recognize*  
the choices that are already out there whether they fit into a UCD  
mold or not, and at least be willing to believe there is more than one  
way to skin the proverbial cat.

-r-

Sent from my iPhone.

On Nov 27, 2007, at 3:10 PM, "Jeff White" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Sounds like you have something interesting in the works Robert. Here's
> where I stand, and maybe it is semantics we're tripping over...
>
> You can come up with an idea or product concept from anywhere - no UCD
> needed for sure. But UCD is an excellent idea when it comes time to
> designing the nuts and bolts of how the site works, how people will
> interact with it, what specific features it has, etc.
>
> Jeff
>
> On Nov 27, 2007 3:23 PM, Robert Hoekman, Jr. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>
>>> Yes, this is my point. That good design done w/o any type of  
>>> research is
>> rare.
>>
>> I assume you're talking specifically about interaction design. Am I  
>> right?
>>
>>>
>>> To think that it happens simply by chance is IMHO shortsighted and  
>>> naive.
>> Furthermore, why take the risk? Why wouldn't you inform your design  
>> by some
>> research?
>>
>> I'll assume you meant no offense by this.
>>
>> Let's look at an example. I recently visited the WTC site and spent  
>> a couple
>> of of hours reflecting, taking pictures, etc. Since leaving there,  
>> I've had
>> quite a few conversations about the experience. And I've noticed  
>> that all
>> these conversations have had one thing in common (sorry - can't  
>> tell you
>> what it is without sharing my idea and I'm not ready to do that yet).
>>
>> I wasn't doing research, just having conversations. But this series  
>> of
>> occurrences sparked an idea that I'm now turning into an  
>> application that
>> can be applied in a myriad of contexts. (Please don't run off and  
>> steal what
>> you might guess is the idea.)
>>
>> Did this happen by chance? Depends on your definition. I didn't  
>> intend it,
>> didn't think it out, didn't pursue it, but since having the initial  
>> idea,
>> it's gelled into something that will be really wonderful. I know  
>> exactly how
>> the application should work and what it should do based on the simple
>> "accidental" idea that triggered it.
>>
>> I suppose you could argue that these conversations were "research",  
>> but they
>> really weren't. They didn't lead me to figuring out how the site  
>> should
>> work, they just led to the idea.
>>
>> In this example, I'm not designing something that solves a client's  
>> need,
>> I'm designing a "place" for people to go for a variety of personal  
>> reasons
>> to participate in something interesting. To do this, I don't need  
>> to perform
>> any research.
>>
>> I realize not all products are created this way - I do client work  
>> as well.
>> My point is simply that not all good design is the result of  
>> research.
>> Sometimes it's inspired, experimental, etc.
>>
>> "Design", to me, means a lot of things. In many cases, it means  
>> putting
>> together something very functional. In many other cases, it means  
>> inventing
>> an experience for reasons other than productivity. Sometimes it's  
>> about
>> solving problems. Sometimes it's not about problems at all, instead  
>> focusing
>> on personal connections, participation, emotion, etc., for reasons  
>> other
>> than "I need to get something done".
>>
>> There may be a difference in the kind of design I'm talking about  
>> what
>> you're talking about. What I refer to here may be more of an  
>> "interactive
>> art" type thing rather than "interaction design". But who knows. Some
>> definitions of IxD say it's the bringing together of people through
>> technology, and that's certainly what this app will do. Still, I'd  
>> normally
>> associate this type of work with someone like, say, Josh Davis, who  
>> isn't
>> generally considered an IxD.
>>
>> It always comes back to semantics. :)
>>
>> -r-
>>
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