Designers have something in common with doctors.

Even when a person fits the profile for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and has identical symptoms as everyone who’s ever had it, the doctor tells the patient he needs a full round of blood work and two different nerve tests.

Why? Because insurance companies want scientific verification that something needs to be treated before they’ll pay for it it. They don’t trust the doctors to make the call—they want proof.

Some companies treat their web and software designers the same way. Instead of trusting even the best designers, managers demand that usability tests be run to surface problems with designs no matter how obvious, get feedback on new ideas no matter how standard, and validate recommendations no matter how basic.

But we all know that a good designer can be right a lot of the time without all that busy work getting in his way. And we all know it costs a lot less money to trust a good designer’s instincts than it does to waste his time in a bunch of usability sessions that will only prove what everyone already knows.

When a design has Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, don’t be afraid to call it Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Instead, be afraid of wasting a lot of money proving it.

Figure out who the doctors are in your organization, and start trusting them. Save the testing for the things that aren’t obvious.

Posted by Robert on July 10th, 2008