SV: [Sigia-l] Re: large font use

[Gunnar Langemark]

Thanks Ziya,
I've worked in the consulting business as an e-learning/wbt consultant among
other things.
I've done qualitative AND quantitative studies like those mentioned - about
the computer/media usage habits of young people.

Here's my very subjective and non-scientific experience regarding both (I
hope experience can count just a little ;-))

Problem with consulting is: The questions asked are the questions you can
get payed to ask - if you pretend you get the answers proper. So the
consulting business study may be scientificly conducted, but it doesn't
always ask the right questions, and the answers derived from the study may
not be of much use in a production setting. You may even claim that these
studies are often done backwards: - what are the answers, that company
excecutives would like to be backed by empirical evidence?

The purely academical study tends to be guided by an interest in gaining
recognition among peers - ie other academics conducting similar studies, and
writing papers to be quoted in peer reviewed periodicals. I know that there
is a genuine interest in knowing "the truth", but even in a university
setting people tend to take some interest in their careers. They also need
funding. This is the reason there are litteraly hundreds of empirical
studies done in Scandinavia, trying to determine whether video, comic books,
and/or computer games are hazardous to childrens mental health, whereas
there are very few studies asking: How do kids and young people actually use
these media?

What I guess I'm trying to say here is: Don't depend too much on science and
consulting. Experience and intuition can be a better guide.

And finally: The term "Designer" seems to be tainted with prejudice. In many
discussions I sense that the term means: A 22 year old who views himself as
an artist and does not consider the client as much as his own desire to
express himself, so that he can swap designs with his drinking buddies:
"THIS is qewl man....!" BTW: He's always a VISUAL designer.


Gunnar