4 Responses

  1. Lis Hubert
    Lis Hubert at |

    I agree completely that decoupling usability and ux from visual design is different and you provide some awesome rationale for why. Such great points… thanks!!

    Reply
  2. livebysatellite
    livebysatellite at |

    @lishubert I think decoupling usability from visual design is different than decoupling ux design from visual design.nnIn this context I’m thinking of ux design (contrasting against visual design) as those that tend to cover the IxD/IA roles (flows, maps, wireframes, prototypes, etc.). But not necessarily the roles of research, usability and content as specialists. (thus you’d have ‘all of ux’ versus ‘visual design’)nnIn this case, I’d agree that it can help to have them separate, but in tandem. Much like a copywriter and art director in advertising. Both helping up front to frame and define a solution, but with different, yet complimentary roles, for fleshing out that solution.nnI think the decoupling of usability and visuals is a more muddy task – as it inevitably leads to how all roles of ux should be intertwined or decoupled. Does IA get separated from content? Visual design from interaction design, etc.nnI also think (and this tends to happy a bit unofficially) visual designers need to continue to start to overlap with interaction design in their skill set to make sure they can contribute to the overall product design with more than a monologue (visual representation) but a dialog (interactions) in mind, or they could be marginalized to the make-it-pretty-at-the-end people.nn

    Reply
    1. Lis Hubert
      Lis Hubert at |

      I agree completely that decoupling usability and ux from visual design is different and you provide some awesome rationale for why. Such great points… thanks!!

      Reply
      1. livebysatellite
        livebysatellite at |

        Thanks – I think it’s an interesting topic to bring up and pretty relevant right now.

        Reply

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