[Sigia-l] UI for the $150 Laptop (OLPC)

[Ziya Oz]

Antoine.Valot at ins.com:

> In my experience, approach matters. What I mean by that is "the way
> designers approach developers" matters.

Whereas "either join us or stop blabbing on" doesn't? Developers ruled the
software business forever; they are not the victims here.

Look, I've been a designer as well as a developer for two decades. All the
facts you cite about developers being busy, stressed, distracted, etc., are
irrelevant. Everyone is. So what?

> Not because programmers can't do it (many can), but because it's a conflict of
> interest to have to be the user advocate and the system advocate at the same
> time. It requires different mental OS'es.

I don't equate being a Designer with user advocacy. I've defined design many
times here, as the art and science of balancing user and client needs. As a
designer, I get paid by the client, not the user. The client gets paid by
the user.
  
> This is why, in my view, developer-bashing is counter-productive.

My professional experience over two decades have shown me that developers
just don't have the training, experience, sensibilities, taste and
aesthetics inclinations required for good design. That's not
developer-bashing, it's a statement of observation over time. Developers
should stick to what they do best: *implementing* functional prototypes
handed over to them by designers, period.

> There is usually friction because we are focused on different things. To me,
> the right approach is compromise: I'll help you understand where I'm coming
> from (my user personas and their goals), and I'll work hard to understand
> where you're coming from (DB schema, code architecture).

An experienced designer would already be well-versed in the latter.

Ziya
Nullius in Verba