In a not so recent article from the folks at A List Apart ran an article titled “Usability expert are from Mars, graphic designers are from Venus”: my question comes from this article. Meaning are designers out of touch with the world of design, where usability experts act solely on the whim of the powers that be.
“Usability/ Information Architecture == the masculine == the left side of the brain == doing == math/science == the rational == logical action == the articulatable == Mars.
Graphic Design == the feminine == the right side of the brain == being == art == the emotional == intuitive action == the inarticulatable == Venus.” (Cloninger, 2000)
I’m not sure this is so true, looking at the time this article was written, I believe designers, web developers and usability professionals have managed to merge the three disciplines. I myself have bridged the gap from Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Web Development and Usability. Simply put, Usability is away to bring qualitative aspect to design, where the arts carry the quantitative historical perspective.
For more information please review the article here: http://www.alistapart.com/articles/marsvenus
Reference:
Cloninger, Curt, Usability experts are from Mars, graphic designers are from Venus, Retrieved on December 7, 2008, from http://www.alistapart.com/articles/marsvenus.