Joel on Software reunites us with the following dialog:

http://www.joelonsoftware.com/uibook/chapters/fog0000000059.html

Even though this article is from 2000, it just goes to show that nothing has changed. UI designers may tout the benefits of their user-focused design, but they also have an inherent conflict of interest: we all want to see our bits on the screen. No bits, no design work, right? The questions creep up: what have you been DOING all week? ("Show me the dialog!") Also, if you let the floodgates open and say bits on screen are better, the technology problems become easier to solve and document and support. Almost always. What's a UI designer to do to resist?

What if you just hired a chef for your restaraunt. This chef specializes in taking things out of food. He does not actually cook anything. He takes the cilantro out of your Chilean sea bass. He takes the mole out of your spainish omlette. He takes the ham out of your quiche and what do you know, it really is better that way. He does this via recipe (spec), by constant oversight on the line cooks (management by walking around), and physically before the plate reaches the table (test). Good chef. Too bad there's not a special award for this, so you can stoke your ego for *not* doing something.

comment []6:20:44 AM