Post-modern usability

Abstract

A few years ago, I was talking to my boss about the iterative, user-centered design plan we had laid out for our products. He was an engineer by training, and quite well known and respected in his field. He had even managed a user experience department at the original AT&T Bell Labs, back when they were still called human factors departments. You would think he would be wellinformed about what usability professionals do. As we talked, he leaned toward me, took another bite of his sandwich, and said in all seriousness, "Don't people in your field actually know anything?"