Have you ever been lost in a hot foreign town on a quiet Sunday afternoon, urgently needing an antique clock repaired? Or maybe you’ve desperately tried to find a shop that sells superglue but don’t speak the language?
I spend a lot of time drawing diagrams to think about things and communicate things to other people. This could be illustrating how data moves between two systems, the transactions in a complex supply chain or simply - and more critically - the quickest route to the nearest pie shop.
I’ve been told this from a young age, as some sort of plea for help disguised as a compliment. My obligation to help others lead to me spend hours frowning and fiddling with TVs, speakers, phones, heating systems, bread ovens and every other stupid thing digital technology sneaks its way into.
Designing and building products that people truly need and can actually use, means doing research with the people who you intend to use it. Preferably early, and preferably regularly. If you can't find these people, or give up trying to find them, you'll probably build something rubbish that no one needs or can use.