While Scott's scenario doesn't say what the trigger was for the manager/VP to decide that they wanted their product to be easier to use, my experience has been it typically happens when they are exposed to a product with good design. Whether it's a Tivo, iPhone, or a competitor's product that is better, they typically latch onto the concrete results that they can see and touch.
If said manager/VP truly knows nothing about design/usability, my guess is that they will start by either asking how these products got made, or searching the web for terms like "Apple iPhone design". I'd bet that articles from design-friendly publications like Business Week might be what they run across. And they might even run across sites for design consultancies that have done this sort of work. And to me, that's the place that someone who knows nothing about the design space should start. By hiring a consultancy, you're not just getting production. You are getting a consultant who understand your business needs, can educate you in the design space, and can do so in a "try before you buy" contract environment. So there's my answer. Hire a reputable design consultant who has a portfolio of work that the manager/VP likes and use that as a launching board for potentially hiring full-time in-house designers. ·Dave ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
