[Sigia-l] Nielsen: Design vs. Usability -- the straw man attack

[Ziya Oz]

"...it's certainly true that you're better off hiring a good designer over a
bad one. Likewise, a good usability specialist is better than a bad
usability specialist, a good programmer is better than a bad programmer, a
good writer is better than a bad writer, and a good marketing manager is
better than a bad marketing manager...In all the various disciplines that
come together to create a successful interface design, you should hire the
best staff you can get."

<http://www.useit.com/alertbox/genius-designers.html>

I bet you didn't know that! Now, you do. :-)

More translations:

........

"In most companies, you won't find one of the world's top 100 interaction
designers waiting around to work on your project."

Of course, you'll readily find 'one of the world's top 100 usability
specialist around' though.

........

"Design is an inexact science..."

Whereas usability is an 'exact science.' (It's hard to make up this stuff.)

........

"(Remember, new ideas can be tested at low cost through techniques like
paper prototypes.)"

Yep, design hasn't moved one iota across spatial/temporal/haptic/etc planes
since 1952, where Jakob seems to be permanently stuck.

........

"Even the best designers produce successful products only if their designs
solve the right problems. A wonderful interface to the wrong features will
fail."

In case, you were wondering. :-)

........

"To reduce risk, ensure that your designer works from usability data, rather
than guesses."

Those damn pony-tailed designers just keep guessing and making stuff up.
Some designers, I've heard, work sans lab coats. How inexact!

........

"Similarly, user experience and website success benefit from following best
practices in the form of documented usability guidelines, as opposed to
making up your own, inconsistent UI."

Oh yes, the best practices. You must see the light with the (official)
'documented usability guidelines'. At Jakob's site. For sale. Coincidence?
You be the judge.


----
Ziya

"You don't drown by falling into the water. You drown by staying there."