Re: The difference between designers and developers

On 2 Oct 2003 at 15:12, Matthew Goddard wrote:

> I'm sure I can't be the only person trying to implement good design
> with being able to do the proper research to backup the claims I may
> have to make!? It is this uncertainty which characterise the
> aforementioned conversation with the developer.
>
I suspect you meant 'without being able to do proper research'.

You're not the only person trying to do without research - I know that
I've been forced to do it sometimes for time or political reasons.

But when I do, I know that my designs may not be good. I have
nothing to assess 'good' against if I don't have any real information
about the users goals and tasks. Sometimes, if I'm working on an
application that is similar to something I've researched or for a group
that I've previously researched I can feel more confident, but if it is
something newish, all I can do is pull the basics from my background
and hope I can do some usability testing somewhere in the process ;)

Research-based, or evidence based, design helps to stop the "I
think/you think" arguments, but without any evidence, you'll just go
around in circles endlessly. After all, why would the developer just
believe you?


Donna Maurer
http://www.maadmob.net/donna/blog/

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