Everyday Inventors

The whole of technology, especially the internet, has evolved to a new level of sophistication, where users now have the freedom to generate their own content, based on self-expression and personal need.

People want this. They want to be able to create their own things, as life doesn’t come out of a perfect cube. It has some unexpected twists and turns that generalized concepts can’t always solve. The public has now been given the opportunity to become a mass population of inventors.

As a designer and producer of these tools that help people think, solve and create, I’m particularly excited for the future. This idea of customization, without the necessary aid of other specialized individuals, I believe, will be accomplished through an interface that is increasingly sophisticated behind the scenes and increasingly functional and intuitive for the user.

There is a catch, however, as more user control isn’t always the best. MySpace and Facebook are perfect examples of this. Whereas MySpace allows its users far more profile customization, with the ability to adjust even the page layout, Facebook keeps its users’ customization options to a minimum. Not everyone has style, class, and a good design sense, and that is where Facebook comes out on top. Its site is far more understandable, legible, and thus more usable, because there is a standard format or system that all users must follow to post and present their information.

I think that illustrates that designers are still a necessary part of our lives. Even with the increase of broad customization, there is still a need for cohesiveness, so that the delivery is effective and comprehensive to the desired audience.