The Idea Blog

I recently read a thought provoking article in Business Week on the future of design and designers. Bruce Nussbaum says designers themselves are the enemy of design. Why? Because designers are arrogant and can be ignorant about how people actually use their designs. The future, Nussbaum says, is all about “design democracy.” While exceptional design may only be done by star designers, we are, all of us, designing more and more of our lives. We want to participate in the design of our blogs, clothes, music, brochures … and we do.

“Maybe the object of design is not a finished product but a set of tools that allow people to design their experiences for themselves. Think iPod and iTunes. Think TiVo. Starbucks.

“We all live life in beta now.”

If you have any connection to design, which Nussbaum wants to rename “innovation,” this is a good read.

Technology and access open opportunity for all to take advantage of outputting information and ideas to many. How have you been impacted by the Design Democracy?