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acquire a way of seeing the impact of their design choices as functional
models, without writing code or waiting for weeks for developers to build
them. Pipe dream? Not really. Curiously, I'm beta testing one app this week
that can pretty much compose a fairly complex web services-based RIA without
writing any code and deploy it as Flash. More needs to be done here
obviously, but the historical trend is clear to me: designers need better
tools/methods to express themselves and their intentions, way better than
the wireframe nonsense.

3.  Developers have to become implementors.

Writing efficient/scalable/maintainable code is a very difficult job
already. The incentive for managers shouldn't be to push developers to
tackle non-engineering aspects of a project, but to hire designers to
conceive and design the app so that developers can concentrate on
implementing it as efficiently as possible. We don't want our buildings to
be "designed" by general contractors why should we want our apps to be
"designed" by developers.

There's also another trend afoot here: rapid commoditization of the
procedural aspects of programming which requires an increasingly more
demarcated separation of design from development as the latter moves
offshore. From fashion industry to consumer electronics that has been the
pattern. This, incidentally, is what makes designer-driven prototyping so
crucial for the future.

4.  Designers have to become leaders.

Above all, this is the key. Designers (with a capital "D") have to assume a
leadership position in digital app creation so they can seamlessly
interweave all IA/ID/UI/UX issues into a coherent whole. This should be
become the Designer's domain and Designer's alone. When a company needs an
app they should think of consulting the Designer first, not the Developer.
The Designer, not the Developer, should own and drive the app
conceptualization, architecture, design, usability process. They should do
this for the integrity of the app and the benefit of the user. If there's a
turf to fight for, this is it.

So my dream is to see the Design and Development sides to consolidate into
two distinct entities bridged by the functional prototype. The bonus of the
prototype is that it's also the most effective point of entry/connection for
the rest of the stakeholders. This arrangement greatly reduces ambiguity and
risks and restores the natural order of app creation where Designers (in
fact as surrogates for the users) drive the process.

----
Ziya

Architecture is politics.