Comments on: Commercial (mis)use of ergonomics http://www.simplifyinginterfaces.com/2009/05/commercial-misuse-of-ergonomics/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=commercial-misuse-of-ergonomics Marc Van Rymenant's blog about User Experience and Behavioral Sciences applied to web design Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:43:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jill Hart http://www.simplifyinginterfaces.com/2009/05/commercial-misuse-of-ergonomics/comment-page-1/#comment-140 Jill Hart Sun, 31 May 2009 22:15:11 +0000 http://www.simplifyinginterfaces.com/?p=129#comment-140 I have to agree as well. I have found, particularly in the heightened competitive insurance market, companies often focus somewhat myopically on speed to market rather than effective design. And even if they have resources in place who understand the value of 'the user experience' there is often an absence of effective processes to execute on best practices. Without consistent process, iterative testing and feedback from customers, the answers that will give companies the competive advantage in the marketplace they're trying to achieve, remain unindentied. Like others passionate about usability and designing for target markets that will yield expected ROI, I too get frustrated when I know how close the answers are for many companies. But I'm not giving up and will keep encouraging companies to pause long enough to hear the answers. I have to agree as well. I have found, particularly in the heightened competitive insurance market, companies often focus somewhat myopically on speed to market rather than effective design. And even if they have resources in place who understand the value of ‘the user experience’ there is often an absence of effective processes to execute on best practices. Without consistent process, iterative testing and feedback from customers, the answers that will give companies the competive advantage in the marketplace they’re trying to achieve, remain unindentied. Like others passionate about usability and designing for target markets that will yield expected ROI, I too get frustrated when I know how close the answers are for many companies. But I’m not giving up and will keep encouraging companies to pause long enough to hear the answers.

]]> By: samm http://www.simplifyinginterfaces.com/2009/05/commercial-misuse-of-ergonomics/comment-page-1/#comment-131 samm Sat, 23 May 2009 00:41:01 +0000 http://www.simplifyinginterfaces.com/?p=129#comment-131 I absolutely agree and add to that the economics and shove of the time constraints and you have a real toxic mix of individuals doing the best they can without the expertise. ( satisfiable) ....and that is what is out there... I absolutely agree and add to that the economics and shove of the time constraints and you have a real toxic mix of individuals doing the best they can without the expertise. ( satisfiable) ….and that is what is out there…

]]> By: Alex http://www.simplifyinginterfaces.com/2009/05/commercial-misuse-of-ergonomics/comment-page-1/#comment-129 Alex Thu, 21 May 2009 22:23:37 +0000 http://www.simplifyinginterfaces.com/?p=129#comment-129 I completely agree. However, I think many times such things happen not because they aim to deceive or are using a catch phrase, but because the designers in question are simply ignorant. They base their design on a personal "common sense" approach which ends up not working. Such inadvertent self-sabotage can happen behind the scenes even when the right professional is on board. A company realizes that user experience is important, so they hire someone with expertise in perception and cognition, user research and testing, information science, etc. That's where the effort stops, because once hired, the company has no idea how to integrate such a person into the design process. And yet, they imagine they are thinking in a user-forward manner simply because they hired a UX person. Transforming a company culture by one's self can be a long, difficult, and occasionally impossible task, but I have the suspicion there are many such capable but disenfranchised UX professionals out there. I completely agree. However, I think many times such things happen not because they aim to deceive or are using a catch phrase, but because the designers in question are simply ignorant. They base their design on a personal “common sense” approach which ends up not working.

Such inadvertent self-sabotage can happen behind the scenes even when the right professional is on board. A company realizes that user experience is important, so they hire someone with expertise in perception and cognition, user research and testing, information science, etc. That’s where the effort stops, because once hired, the company has no idea how to integrate such a person into the design process. And yet, they imagine they are thinking in a user-forward manner simply because they hired a UX person.

Transforming a company culture by one’s self can be a long, difficult, and occasionally impossible task, but I have the suspicion there are many such capable but disenfranchised UX professionals out there.

]]> By: Henry Poskitt http://www.simplifyinginterfaces.com/2009/05/commercial-misuse-of-ergonomics/comment-page-1/#comment-125 Henry Poskitt Tue, 19 May 2009 10:15:24 +0000 http://www.simplifyinginterfaces.com/?p=129#comment-125 I absolutely agree. It looks like each business area fought for space on the home page resulting in chaos. However I would point out that many sites in French are more complex and less focussed than their counterparts in other European languages (axa.ie, axa.co.uk). I often wonder why this happens as there is no shortage of talented French designers and developers, many working in UK and Ireland. I absolutely agree. It looks like each business area fought for space on the home page resulting in chaos. However I would point out that many sites in French are more complex and less focussed than their counterparts in other European languages (axa.ie, axa.co.uk). I often wonder why this happens as there is no shortage of talented French designers and developers, many working in UK and Ireland.

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