What a drastic statement! We often forget the products we build are not about technology, engineering, or even design. We write software because it enriches the lives of others and makes the world a better place to live.
If this can’t be accomplished, the tools we build are just lines of code rendered graphically on a computer screen.
While developers fall for this trap on a steady basis, user experience consultants and information architects are supposed to be an advocate for their users—but I’m beginning to observe many of us focusing heavily on our design tools rather than who’s most important, the people we serve.
At the end of the day, our wireframes, personas, style guides, taxonomies, photoshop comps, and site-maps are just communication tools. They serve no purpose unless we communicate them between our customers, stakeholders, and engineers. We have to convince people to adapt to better technology and embrace change.
So why am I writing this blog entry? I’m writing this because I want to offer a gentle reminder to the universe that people always come first. If we’re to be successful in our industry, we need to remember the people we serve. You’re not just “the wireframe guy” or “the photoshop gal”, you’re a very important person that is there to make a difference in the lives of your users.
You have professional responsibility to ensure the best experience for your customer, but I believe you also have a social responsibility (as a citizen of this planet) to build experiences that make peoples lives better. If you can limit someone’s frustration and empower them with technology, you are changing the world. Remember, those who believe they can change the world are the ones that do.
So what are you doing to change the world?
Beware of hard-fast rules, you can always find reasons to break them.
