That’s right. I hate users. “Users” is a technical word, as in “user error.” A user is the vague being that’s manipulating your precious machinery and software applications. They’re impersonal. They make mistakes. They get in the way. Designing for users means you’re really designing for anybody else except the people using your stuff. So stop designing for users.
And don’t design for activities, either. Activities aren’t people, and sometimes people perform many different activities. If you design for an activity, you still lack context of the big picture, and whole purpose. And you can end up pigeon-holing your design to be too inflexible to accommodate everything people need to do.
So stop designing for users. Design for people.
As often as possible, I use a word that properly describes who I’m designing for. In a few recent projects that mean
- I designed for patients and therapists for a healthcare tablet app
- I designed for visitors for a hotel chain website
- I designed for viewers for a TV set top box system
By avoiding using the word “user,” you’re forced to come up with a more descriptive word that gives more context to scenario. It sets the tone with everybody involved so they know exactly who you’re building whatever software, website, user interface or product for. Like personas, it builds empathy and consensus amongst your team. You’re not designing for some impersonal “user”: you’re designing for real people who have real needs.
So stop designing for users. Design for people.