Ask HN: The future of usability | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: The future of usability

4 pointsjrwoodruff3 comments

I'm facing a unique career decision and would like some input from fellow HNers.

I currently work in state government. I'm working on a project involving deploying SharePoint across the state as the intranet solution, but also have the opportunity to join a fledgling usability team that will be built into an enterprise-level group.

I haven't had much experience working with a usability team, so I would like to know: What is your view of the usability profession? Is this a profession on the rise? Is a usability team an asset that is worthwhile and helpful, or would I be better off sticking with the SharePoint stuff?

Thanks for any insights you can share.

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It depends on what kind of problems you like to solve, I suppose. Usability isn't going away, and neither is classical IT type stuff (like your SP project).

If you like to work with more fundamental projects, I'd stick with SP. Fewer fuzzy requirements, much easier to learn if you did things correctly.

Usability involves some psych stuff (knowing both some of the neurological responses, as well as programmed responses due to de facto standards). It's much more fuzzy. You can always improve a UI. It's more people-oriented than traditional IT work.

For me, personally, I consider usability much more interesting. Using a company like Apple as an example -- it was their design and usability groups that have made them so special as a company. Would you rather work for Apple or work for a company like EDS?

Not that I'm suggesting all usability/UX will be like working at Apple. But I do want to emphasize that the two career paths will appeal to different types of folks -- there isn't one option that's "better" than the other.

Thanks for the input Travis. This is pretty much what I was thinking. Given my graphic design background (and affinity for apple products) I'm leaning toward the usability path. If it's successful, I think it has the potential to do a lot good around here too, there's a definite need.

Especially given what you wrote above, the usability path sounds like it might be a good fit.

Plus, consider all your newly-won usability insight, having worked with SharePoint. ;)

Does your government position afford you some status that will help minimize the risk (in case you change your mind later)?

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