William Gibson narrative on the commoditization of design practices

I’ve been thinking a bit on the commoditization of common (user-centered) design practices. Overall, it’s a good thing that organizations more often think about their services with the customer in the forefront. Practice-wise, it clearly means we can push farther ahead.

I’m reading William Gibson’s Zero History novel, and enjoyed this exchanges between the wealthy and shady risk-taker Hubertus Bigend and main character Hollis Henry.

“Designers are taught to invent characters, with narratives, who they then design products for or around. Standard procedure. They are similar procedures in branding, generally, in the invention of new products, new companies, of all kinds.”

“So it works?”

“Oh, it works,” he said, “but because it does, it’s become de facto. Once you have a way in which things are done, the edge migrates. Goes elsewhere.”

Let’s continue to go elsewhere, please.

(Oh, and I’ll bet the novel does take this point to nefarious places… but that’s not my point.)