It's funny ... just when I start thinking I have this "blogging" thing down, there are days you get writer's block. Since about 8am this morning, I've been chewing on this question:
Tuesday, Dec 27: Making Connections
If you could meet someone new in 2012, who would it be? Or would you rather spend more time with someone you already know?
With where I currently am in my life, I'm not sure how best to answer this. 2012 is an election year, but with all the expected mud-slinging that will be taking place soon, I'll have my fill of politics for the year by end-of-January.
If you'd like a cop-out answer, then I'll answer it by saying - I'd love to meet a hiring manager that is willing to give me an opportunity to spread my wings in usability and user experience design, and get to work again.
Perhaps another answer might be: I'd like to meet a group of people that are willing to listen to a start-up idea I have, bust tail, and really get it out there. Two years ago, I was in an HCI class, to which my partner & I, in our final project, came up with something that, to this day, my professor thinks has potential to make us retire by 45. I'd like to do that, but I've never done a start-up before.
Now, if there was one person I'd like to meet whom I've never met before, perhaps Don Norman. Dr. Norman is a well-known, well-respected engineer, and is considered a "godfather of usability". He's written wonderful books, has presented papers to worldwide conferences, and is at the top rung of HCI & Usability. I would love to have the opportunity to meet him, shake his hand, introduce myself, and really have a good sit-down session with him.
In 2007, I purchased Norman's book "The Design Of Everyday Things". I read the book cover-to-cover, and became inspired. It it home, because some of the philosophies he introduces, I could see in real life - in regards to (a) "Yes, that's the way it should be", and (b) "No, that makes no sense. Why?" It was probably the most "deep" book I've read since my undergraduate days. I started looking at things differently from that point on.
One of my first professional projects worked with an application called W-6, a scheduling program that determined "Who does What, Where, When, With what, and for Whom" (hence "W-6"). Since starting my HCI coursework and this new career direction, there's a 7th "W" that rarely gets talked about, especially when it comes to website, software, & mobile application design ... "Why". Why do people want to group categories this way versus that way? Why are people clicking the wrong button in this scenario? Why do people think Version A is better than Version B? I find myself asking more "Why" questions nowadays than any of the other 6 W's mentioned. There is little doubt Norman's book has changed my design philosophy.
This Christmas, I recieved "Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things", which was Norman's follow-up book. I've only read the preface, and already, I'm becoming inspired again. I can't wait to really dive into the guts of the book, make some highlights, and then put them to good use ... whenever employment comes my way.
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Now, is there someone I've already met whom I'd like to spend more time with? Yes. I'll probably get to see her again, hopefully at least twice this year. The two of us share many things in common, but there's so much more I'd like to learn from her and about her. Does she know I want to? Heck no - she has no clue. One of my resolutions this year is to not hesitate to ask her out when I see her next - perhaps not as a date, but - well - as two people whom deserved better 2011's than what the two of us received. Both of us saw pretty big highs & awful lows this calendar year.
Twenty seconds of insane courage is all it will take to change the way I look at the world. Perhaps hers as well. Besides, life's too short to live it alone.
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Don Norman books of interest (via Amazon):
The Design Of Everyday Things (link)
Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things (link)
Don's Website: http://jnd.org/
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