Gary Bastoky — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:38:59 GMT

Excellent idea! I seem to find myself if this situation over and over again, that is, trying to implement a process that many people are initially resistant to. Before I was a UI/IX Designer, that is, before the concept of user interface design even existed in its current iteration, at least outside of Xerox and Apple, I started up a design group for a new division at Microsoft. We initially did documentation design, and later, once it became clear that the UI needed design help, we evolved and hired industrial designers to take over the UI work.

Back in those days, when printed documents shipped with software, Microsoft had a number of products whose documents looked like they came from different companies, when in fact they came from different product groups. I proposed a standard design that would be used across all product lines. The initial response from writers, editors, managers, and even some of the other designers was that we would be taking away their creativity by doing this.

I sold this concept to a hall full of somewhat hostile people by explained that we were doing this for the end-user and that we would be designing living documents that would adapt to the product requirements, but still be transparent to the user so it would still be perceived as a MS document with the same cues and the same look and feel.

Of course, that was just the beginning of a project that took 18 months of gathering information, showing design options, preparing guides for usage and specifications. That design has evolved over the years, but it is still being used by Microsoft Press for its technical books.

Since then, I’ve been in similar situations, like the one I’m in now (not Microsoft), where I’m trying to change hearts and minds. I think, in general, the hardest thing that all people have to get past/through in their lives is change. So, as designers it seems that we are always trying to get people to see that change is a good thing, even if it’s painful in the beginning. Making it less painful, especially, as Teresa said, where resources are limited, is also part of the process.

I’m hoping we’ll see some good stories here.

Boxes and Arrows: Comments by Gary Bastoky