So, I left a comment a few days ago on a posting about enterprise software design over at Signal vs. Noise, the blog written by the guys at 37signals.
Do you know that famous New Yorker cartoon — “…on the Internet, no one knows you’re a dog”?
Oh, how true.
So that comment generates a boatload of traffic to our humble little vanity blog, including — get this — a number of serious emails asking my opinion about user interface design for enterprise software and, in one instance, whether I thought these types of design firms have a future.
Those of you who know me understand the rich humor in these requests because, although I am inept in many, many things, I am spectacularly unqualifed to formulate meaningful insight into the enterprise software and user interface industry.
Except as a user.
I’m an everyday person in an organization who uses software (including my company’s enterprise tools) as an occasionally central tool to accomplish what I need to do.
I understand nothing about the technical skeleton of software and interface design, but I do know that bad interface design bothers me because it costs me time and energy and focus — or worse, it wastes these precious resources. I think there is a spectacular future for any company or developer who can design simple, intuitive, adaptable interfaces that make people’s work easy and useful. I am deeply loyal to any product, for that matter, that is exceptionally considerate of me, my time, and my energy.
If you design interfaces for enterprise software and you like what you just read and you have a lot of money, please call me. My eleven year-old daughter thinks we’re going to be rich because Daddy has his own website.