Response: Invention is 98% Problem Determination

In recent weeks several articles have appeared on this news service giving opinions about the role of usability in design. The most recent article described the views of James Woudhuysen and referred to his article in IT Week entitled "Usability Cult Sacrifices Innovation" (see James Woudhuysen champions the Human, rejects the User). I also recall an earlier article about Ben Eliot and his view that we are "Hiding behind the User". I have been trying to decide if this is a valid criticism of usability and corporate culture, a way of seeking publicity or just a reaction to some particular event. Whatever the origin of the comments is, one key element of these articles appears to be a claim that usability and creativity are somehow in tension with one another. It's this that I'd like to comment on.

Although I can see the point if usability is applied in the wrong way, I feel that the opposite may be more to the point. Usability is the most essential tool in the innovator's kit bag. Usability work allows you to clearly identify what the problem is; to find the point in the system where the innovation is needed. Whenever I talk about inventing I always reword Thomas Edison's famous quotation on genius. For me, invention is 2% design and 98% problem determination. And, for me, the problem determination is exactly what all usability activities are about. Usability determines the goals of the users. It determines the characteristics, in terms of skills, abilities and knowledge, of the users. Usability determines the problems that the users have with any existing or competing solutions. And last but not least it finds the information to fine-tune the innovation to accelerate adoption.

Apart from the innovations which solve a problem by accident, I believe that many innovations fail because they try to solve problems that nobody cares about. An innovator can take the usability work as a framework for their innovation. It shows you the problems that people care about. It sets down the parameters that the innovator has to fit within to solve each of the problems. And if the innovator is uncomfortable with one of the bounds, it allows them to marshal the evidence for the bound being unreasonable.

No innovator worth his salt should be afraid of usability.

Dave Roberts,
IBM Ease of Use, Warwick

All change at the top for System Concepts
Source: System Concepts Ltd, 3 July 2009
 
Leslie Fountain has been promoted to joint Managing Director of leading usability consultancy System Concepts.

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Sarah Herman's fictitious book on life in a user-centred design company has hit the shelves and The Guardian's book pages...

Interfaces Magazine - Issue 79: The Education Issue
Source: Interaction Group, 1 July 2009
 
The latest issue of Interfaces is now available as a free download from the Interaction Website.

Two new Behavioural research Tools from Noldus
Source: UN, 30 June 2009
 
Tool updates make on-site behavioural data collection easier.

Cell Phones that Listen and Learn
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New software tracks a user's behavior by monitoring everyday sounds.

Top Six Don’ts for Usability Testing
Source: FutureNow Inc., 27 June 2009
 
Six tips for creating quality usability tests to ensure useful feedback from testers.

Usability: ‘Lovely software. But I can’t work it’
Source: FT.com, 26 June 2009
 
In a recent survey by Global Graphics, 77 per cent of office workers estimate they lose up to one hour a week because business software is difficult to use.

And what do you do?
Source: Dexo Design, 25 June 2009
 
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Most Doctors cite Usability as critical to Electronic Health Record Adoption
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It's all about 'meaningful use'.

Glossy monitors look good but can hurt
Source: QUT, 23 June 2009
 
A new advisory cites research which suggests high gloss monitors make users sit awkwardly.