[Sigia-l] Open Source Usability -- curable?

[Dave]

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 15:59:14 -0400, Listera <listera at rcn.com> wrote:
> That's the crucial point. Will programmers agree to follow design principles
> or continue to consider them as skinnable afterthoughts.

2 thoughts around this statement:
1. programmers in non-OSS settings have no problem following UCD when
it is mandated from top down. And usually they just get it on their
own. I don't think that programmers are THAT far off from all this.

2. This assumes that the programmers are "in control" of the project
flow under this new president. The whole idea is to make code a piece
of the puzzle, but not the puzzle itself. Code by itself would not be
added to the mix ... Code is only one item that gets added to the
project. The repository for the project would also hold research
analysis, usability reports, market analysis etc. All of which needs
to be used by anyone who is trying to submit a new piece to the
greater whole and will be reviewed against it accordingly.

But since we know that current presidents are just, well, bad; why
would I look to them as a guidepost anyway.

The hard part it seems to me is the IP piece. Our research and designs
are not usually considered "free". The idea of doing anything w/o pay
in the design community is really scorned upon. I think AIGA even has
a standard that no designer would do work for free in order to get a
job. Hire me first and then I'll tell you what I think. No free
consulting. I think this cultural attitude also makes it very hard for
designers to enter the OSS arena. I'd really like to hear what others
feel about this last point.

-- dave