Interesting post by Michael Arrington on design FaceBook illustrates the thinking and work to be done on the notions of "customs and practices" and ways in which the term User is used at every opportunity. The future FaceBook is a problem of ergonomics, User or design strategy of its creators?
"A camel is a horse designed by committee". "( source )
The citation of the Camel (with all due respect we have for camels) illustrates a well known problem that occurs when too many people are involved in a project. Seth Godin explains how the Walkman would never have been built if Sony had asked his customers what they thought (the excellent book Purple Cow ). A few days ago, Robert Scoble explained that Porsche would produce Volvos if the company listened to its buyers. "If you ask a group of Porsche owners what they would change, they will ask for a smoother ride, more safe, more leg room ... well a Volvo ..."
The idea is that when you listen too your users, you create a product boring. It takes a dictator to launch an iPhone and change an entire industry. Imagine if Steve Jobs had listened to everyone.
I am so surprised that Facebook is doing a little reverse on the new design of the famous network. Just because thousands of users continue to complain for a week. (Facebook has published a note on the blog yesterday, announcing the return to some features of the old version)
Faecbook has always taken risks with its versions and with its users and the response has always been negative at first. Not long ago, Mark Zuckerberg told us how users end up accepting the changes with time. Suddenly, faced with the uprising, Facebook down the arms. Why?
Play all the negative reactions of users is the last thing to do, it was better to continue with more changes still. If Facebook will eventually lose its market dominance and become like MySpace, which has too tried to make its users happy and tumbles slowly. Go even further is the true recipe for success.
Alain Note: This is a review for the less extreme but not Michael Arrington ... meaningless when you look at the great inventions or creations existing parts of his own dreams sometimes wildest. By cons I think it often makes sense to listen to his community when a product is to optimize it. As for Facebook, this is not the first time that the social network underwent changes in design and user reactions unleashed ... usually with time ... we forget everything. But this time the sling seems serious.
5 Responses to "Should we all focus on users?"
Nicolas
1 year ago
He must think I distinguish different approaches in the concept of "user-centered design." I agree with you to say that the word "user" is used somewhat loosely.
Including the fact that it is possible to design focused on users without necessarily asking them explicitly what they want. There may be observations of practices, behaviors, rituals of interaction (as a form of inspiration) but also to verbalize people about their behavior (but not necessarily on the features and functionality necessary).
Jean-Louis Frechin
1 year ago
Dear Nicolas
I agree with you. It's about temporality, context and casting. The technique alone is nothing, but it is still a prerequisite for what we can do. Research users are important, especially when they are operated or run by competent people and modern (and / or resident in Switzerland). They are often, unfortunately, a misunderstanding in France tend to break the dynamics of projects (absolute difference of temporality between designers and sociological studies, tension between Science, Research and Project in the calls for research, quarrels schools (Bourdieu, Latour, etc ...), some mediocre players (it must be said) that become aceurs project (those games are in museums ...) use academic lab aboveground because of structural organizations of the institutions in most D projects as R, divergent goals, etc ... ... ..
This subject has become a filling on important issues: the symbolic end devices, detail, consistency, speed, design, new proposal, no waiting, no need, desire strategy, and especially the possible role of design, etc. ... ..
The user is also an outlet for some kind of marketing project "Time to market." It is even now doing design with scientific methods to give the User what they want (often former specialists 'usability, or integrating method of pseudo social science)
It is true that pure technological researchers should be accompanied to effect the transformation of technologies into objects or human service.
People can also produce some of their uses (note, however fantasies).
I pointed this article to highlight a new "dispersion" of lens facing the challenges of design in France. Some time ago: Usability was the fashion element (product-on of car unusable?)
To conceive, it takes a subject and an object. In France we have 5 to 6 successful startups, but no world. Is it because we do not have enough sociology? not enough of an entrepreneur? Why do they exist more companies Francaises High Tech World? We are the champions of projects and products that can be specified (system, B to B, infrastructure) but little or desirable products
We have no time to work on issues of FaceBook, because we do not have that here. Here is a real issue for our creativity; The "user" will follow because there are not a problem but part of the solution.
gat
1 year ago
Listen to users?
People do not have the experience to do otherwise, they can not express a need, therefore, that from the unpleasant experience that they do what they already know, c to tell from the existing . Difficult in these conditions to express innovative solutions breaks. But discontent is interesting to see the challenges and issues they raise.
Another major problem occurs: it is difficult to find a balance between practices become habits and propose a new approach. "How we integrate an approach to risk ..."? Michael Arrington says "... usually with time we forget everything." It seems that this is not necessarily so easy to create ruptures it or break it. But your comment Jean-Louis, seems correct: to pick up new users on land, practice habits: it is necessary to give them the ability to tell a story to project himself through "a narrative, an imaginative ", or" navigate ".
Jean-Louis Frechin
1 year ago
AGATHA
I agree with what you say, too much product mals are designed or well-designed but with bad aim. We must love people and give them the best. Companies like certainties. Sorry, this is not product design.
It is a question of casting. Intelligence is not everything. The uses and users do its not a problem for ergonomics. The symbolic, aesthetic sensitivity, desire are integral parts of the experience. For us French and is the second part of your post, we must innovate e have no choice. It will change if people n'adhèren not. Hurry, love and try, that is creating uses. Digital is great for that. As designer, make no mistake ... dream.
AGAT
11 months ago
"Over time we forget it all" is hard work! you do not force people to enter into a system upon invitation, the invitation is to quality, time of "adoption" is reduced without actually realize. The iPhone has very little time to be adopted.
if one takes a long time to change habits, but rather a token of a new habit inappropriate, otherwise it is anticipated that the proposal too early or too late (c something else).