The Inmates are Running the Asylum (part 2)

(Comment left on Aaron Loveall's blog)

The second half of TIARTA was more a prescriptive fix on how
companies could implement effective design into their software development
process.

Cooper pointed out that businessmen of the company are too focused on viability
while programmers are too focused on capability.
Cooper claimed that designers bridge the gap by providing desirability and earning customer loyalty.

Cooper recommended that companies should spend more time early in the devo
process and clearly identify goals of the system and specific fictional target users that reflect reality(called personas) and design for those crucial people.

Cooper also said that well designed software should:
be interesting in me
forthcoming
have common sense
anticipate needs
be responsive
taciturn about its personal problems
well informed
perceptive
self-confident
stay focused
fudgable
give instant gratification
be trustworthy

After defining personas and tehir goals scenarios can be constructed
and should be defined in breadth rather that in depth.
-Daily uses: well designed
-necessary uses: available
-edge cases: addressed

Cooper then discusses design-friendly business practices and conceptual integrity in product vision. (Like not letting users or programmers run the process, but designers.)

_________

My spill:

The second half of the book seemed more practical and useful since it actually prescribed some action for good business and software development.

All of the recommendations made by Cooper seemed reasonable.
Design is important and should come first and goal-oriented persona based design
seems quite reasonable.

Cooper still seems like he's bashing programmers a little bit though.