Since When Did We Have to Choose Between Design and Usability
Of all the crazy terms being thrown around these days, usability is the one phrase that makes me cringe. Its not the idea of usability that I have a problem with, its more in the way people use the term that irks me. People twist and contort its meaning and turn it into a slam against designers trivializing our job along the way.
You can’t be a usability expert and be a designer. Its just not possible. Really?
Alright, say it with me now. Usability is Design. Good Design is Good Usability. They are not mutually exclusive goals to strive for. Your primary goal as an interactive designer is to take into account the user’s needs, goals and experiences all while expressing a unique identity. Its not just pretty visuals or a passive form of entertainment no matter what all of the award and design annuals tell you. It encompasses a lot of different disciplines that work together towards a common goal.
This is the best diagram I’ve found that clearly illustrates the relationship of usability and interactive design.
Designing for Interaction: Creating Smart Applications and Clever Devices (VOICES) by Dan Saffer
So the question now is, why would you want to only concentrate on one aspect of the big picture? Real design has usability in mind as well as many other factors. There is no reason to separate them or their intentions.