Media: Guardian questions Extent of Usability's Value

User-centred design is now widely accepted, but the emphasis on its usability component under-estimates people's abilities and limits innovation, argues UN advisor Nico Macdonald in the Guardian. A longer version on his article appears on his own website, and is worth a look in full.

'The introduction of rationality and empathy into design practice can only be a good thing. In its day user-centred design was a radical and empowering concept, but its acceptance masks other less inspiring developments,' suggests Macdonald: user-centred design has lost its ambition and been supplanted by one of its elements: the relatively conservative concept of usability.

There is some of the bashing that has become almost standard nowadays in discussing usability in a wider community: 'Reflecting current political trends, usability gurus are quick with criticism but can't formulate realistic or imaginative solutions. They are puritanical in their aesthetic sensibilities. And they are all too ready to attack corporations for their selfish ways, and eager to treat users as barely capable victims.'

This is harsh and ignores some of the re-evaluating going on in the industry, but Macdonald's critique is aimed at the exploitation by business of the smallest part of the usability message, and how this affects experimentation. Yes, we've heard it before - at length, last year - but this is at least convincingly argued. 'As well as empathising with people, they should recognise their intelligence and pragmatism, and understand that they will take time to learn things that will deliver them real benefits.' People will make the leap necessary if something offers them enough value - like the first spreadsheet, for instance.

Apart from anything else, it is interesting to see which bits the Guardian felt were expendable from the argument in their shortened piece.

(Guardian version: Second Sight. Full version see website below.)

Associated Link: Design by or for the people?

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