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

[Boniface Lau]

> From: Listera
>  
> I mean that the notion that professional designers will join a
> process which will be driven by programmers is nutty, as they get
> neither influence nor pay.

Trying to influence without positioning power is often a true test of
one's understanding of the subject matter, especially when dealing
with programmers.

A computer system won't budge under personal insult. Programmers have
to reason their way through the code to understand why the system
behaved the way it did. Thus, programmers have a sense of pride in
their reasoning capability. They are much more receptive to things
backed by good reasoning.

When dealing with programmers, designers who reason well will have a
much better success rate. Of course, to reason well, one has to have a
firm understanding of the subject matter. Regurgitating principles
simply won't make it, unless you have the positioning power to coerce.


Boniface