The Importance of Design

VP of Design at SAP Matthew Holloway's in-class lecture about a month or so ago was one that really forced me to reconceptualize the function and appearance of everything around me. When he initially asked how many of us in the class thought we were designers, I definitely didn't raise my hand because I've never been the really artsy, creative type. However, once he started prodding us about various 'everyday' things that every has had to do or continually does in their everyday life, it was interesting how my mind raced to check-off a series of things I routinely do that is in fact considered 'design'. With his lecture and the subsequent readings highlighting the need to find out how your customers, or potential customers, use a certain product have been really helpful for me as Mohammed and I continue to refine the design of our project for Seva. I think the only thing I wished we had access to was the opportunity to witness the Seva Field Offices "in action." I can't quite remember which article it was we read, but there was one that underscored the need not only to survey the people that are using (or will use) your product, but to actually witness them using it. I think that being able to visit each of the Field Officers for even one day would really inform our design of the intranet/social networking platform. However, since geographic, time, and financial constraints prevent us from doing these observations, Mohammed and I are using the results of the Needs/Interests Survey Assessments distributed to the Seva Field Officers almost a month ago. While I think that we can finalize a basic design of the intranet/social networking platform concept, Seva will have to continue to test our design versus how the Field Offices are actually utilizing it in their day-to-day life, and be flexible enough to modify our design as necessary.