Re: Best idea of the week, make that year. Yeah, yeah, I know the year just started

["Chuck Martin" <cm -at- writeforyou -dot- com>]

"k k" <turnleftatnowhere -at- yahoo -dot- com> wrote in message news:229927 -at- techwr-l -dot-  -dot-  -dot- 
<snip>
>
> It is not reasonable to think that a UI designer can
> drive any changes to the practices followed in
> processing printing credit card transactions and
> printing those monthly statements. You're talking
> about changes that would have to be industry-wide. A
> UI designer does not have the authority, or the
> business expertise, or even the channels of
> communication to those who do, to be able to do
> anything about it. You may as well expect the generals
> to listen to the corporals about how to run the 5th
> Army. Argue all you want about how it would be a good
> thing, it just ain't gonna happen in the real world.
>

If not them, then who?

Competent interaction designers *must* have at least some knowledge of
business practices and must be able to communicate to the ultimate decision
makers. Otherwise, they cannot competently complete their work.

And what's wrong with "industry wide" changes? They have happened on all
levels throught history. And in almost all cases, such changes began because
someone had an idea for a better way to do things and was able to find a way
to make that vision reality.

Many users of all sorts of systems (not just computers) accept difficulty
and frustration arising from poor design as acceptable, "the price of doing
business." But some people know that this doesn't *have* to be the case,
that things *can* be made better. Changes to make things better "in the real
world" will indeed happen when enough people demand it.

As technical communicators, as interaction designers, we occupy that bridge
between the technical world and the real world, and can, if we want to, be
part of the catalyst for change.

-- 
--
Chuck Martin
User Assistance & Experience Engineer
twriter "at" sonic "dot" net      www.writeforyou.com

"I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. The day
may come when the courage of Men fail,  when we forsake our friends and
break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day! This day, we fight!"
                    - Aragorn

"All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given you."
                    - Gandalf