Design is a thoughtful gift…
I love that we refer to products as “offerings” but is our reliance on research and processes changing how design gives?
Like many designers, I entered the design business viewing design as a profession where I could apply my background in the arts to make beautiful experiences. Finding a job in design in those early days was extremely competitive and it’s practitioners were responsible for finding unseen opportunities and present brilliant solutions. The truly great designers were inspiring and I longed to be one myself.
My first real assignment as a designer was for a gift basket eCommerce site. The Web was new and my client mortgaged their home to create a Web site to sell their products. They literally bet the farm on my agency, on me, to make a compelling Web experience so people would want to buy their products. Because of how much my client was depending on me I dove right in, there were no focus groups or personas explored, I was driven a deep feeling of ownership and responsibility to make this offering desirable. I sketched, created numerous concepts, asked every willing person I could find if the designs were effective. I loved every part of that project. My client’s business was successful and their customer’s loved the unique look of the site.
“You shouldn’t have…”
Today my clients are no longer small businesses like this, but large Fortune 500 companies. Product offerings are now more rigorously researched to ensure our “gift” to our customer is something they truly want. there is We want to avoid hearing from our customers “you shouldn’t have”. In our desire to be safe, to be right, are we missing something…is the magic gone? There is something very sterile about receiving gift after someone asks you what you want…less thoughtful and as a result less valued.
“It’s the thought that counts…”
What made the gift basket site that was mentioned earlier successful was the thoughtful and scalable illustration details. Every product page was a discovery of small but thoughtful illustrative details. I wonder in today’s Lean UX processes if I would have achieved the same result…If I ran focus groups, crafted personas, built prototypes, etc. would I have taken pencil to paper and drew? Would I have evoked my creative talents to create something delightful or would I have grabbed an off the shelve UI framework and created your everyday cookie cutter site?
“Better to give then receive…”
These days I see UX designers not wanting to start a project without receiving, research, carefully drafted and validated personas before they “start” a project. I can’t help but feel sorry for them a little for missing the rush of just boldly diving in. The design process has gone from being an act of giving of oneself and utilizing one’s individual talents to a passionless scientific process. Has our desire to present the right product “offering” keeping us from enjoying the joy of “giving”?
Anything good in life involves risk. I’m not suggesting we stop testing assumptions but for God’s sake let’s not stop diving into the deep end of the pool. To be a great designer we have to have the courage to be wrong…as long as what we create comes from a thoughtful and caring place we are going to be fine.
