Here’s a summary of six key takeaways from the AAD Global FORUM that I found particularly insightful.
One speaker that no one in the UX field would want to miss was Don Norman, a figure that every UX professional aspires to meet. In his keynote, he prefers to be addressed simply by his name, without the titles Dr. or PhD. (And believe it or not, the word “UX” wasn’t mentioned even once in his keynote—the content was far beyond that, and it was absolutely brilliant.)
The summaries I’ve compiled reflect both my understanding and my desire to delve deeper into these topics. Summarizing them has given me a lot to reflect on, and I wanted to share and pass on this knowledge. Previously, I read great insights from Tanadon Wanitnunttada, my friend and Co-Founder of KO-EXPERIENCE (โค-เอ็กซ์พีเรียนซ์) , which were very valuable. Initially, I debated whether to post this summary on my page or the company’s page, but I decided to share it here instead. This is another version of the content, from my own perspective.
You can read the details from the descriptions of each image. The six topics are just a portion of Don Norman’s keynote.
I hope this will be useful to everyone. 🙂
Collaboration and Diverse Perspectives:
Creating anything requires multiple specialists and skills. Norman emphasizes the importance of working with others and considering diverse perspectives. Education should be lifelong, and understanding various fields like history, philosophy, and technology is crucial for deeper insights.
Titles vs. Achievements:
For Norman, titles reflect education, not accomplishments. Despite his success, he remains humble, stressing that expertise is temporary and continuous learning is essential.
Balancing Academia and Business:
Norman’s experience in both academia and business shows that staying confined to one realm hinders progress. He urges a balance between study and practice, ensuring that what we learn is relevant to real-world applications.
Effective Communication:
Norman discussed the need to change how we communicate, particularly on critical issues like climate change. He highlighted the importance of bridging the gap between academic study and business practice by tailoring communication to diverse audiences.
Human-Centered Design+:
Norman highlights three aspects: solving underlying causes, thinking in systems (like the “Circular Economy”), and adopting a long-term perspective. Businesses should focus on aligning actions with Human-Centered Design principles.
Design as a Basic Skill:
Norman believes design should be a basic skill for everyone, focusing on functionality first. He advises companies to prioritize selling services over just products and to continuously monitor and improve user experiences.
These insights emphasize the importance of collaboration, continuous learning, balanced perspectives, and thoughtful communication in both design and business.