Interface Design: A Title That Works
I’ve been called a lot of names in my life and I’ve also had many different titles in my short career of making websites. My general attitude has been that titles are bullshit. What matters more to me is how meaningful the work can be, how much personal time I’m allowed, and how much I get paid. Defining a niche skill set has always been important, but has it’s taken a few years for me to be able to clearly articulate my craft as a simple title that makes sense. Generally speaking, I’m an analytical driver that isn’t afraid to rock the boat. My social behavior style influences how I work, and has often stretched the boundaries of any given title.
Often, titles are either overly generic, too verbose, or altogether misleading. I’ve come to accept the fact that names and titles are as interchangeable as jersey numbers on a basketball team. I’ve never been satisfied being the hands for other visionaries, playing songs in a cover band, or riding-bitch in a clown car. I’ve always had a desire to collaborate on original projects that sit at the intersection of art and science. Some people don’t believe that anyone can truly be successful unless you focus all your energy into one single craft. You’ve probably heard people say “Do one thing well”. Well my response asks why not do many things well? It’s a matter of individual potential I suppose. The same people that preach “Do only one thing well” often perceive a multi-tasker as a Jack of all trades, master of none. While, I do see value in being focused, I also believe that when your only tool is a hammer you will perceive all your problems as nails. Why not strive to be a Renaissance-Man if it’s in your nature? What kind of world would we be living in if Leonardo da Vinci didn’t paint the Mona Lisa and invent the helicopter? What kind of world would this be if Benjamin Franklin didn’t create the lightening rod in addition to co-authoring the Declaration of Independence? (Discuss amongst yourselves) The point I’m trying to make is that life is not a series of forks in the road where you are forced to choose between the red pill or blue pill. For me, life is more dynamic.
We live in a world that needs multifunctional smart-phones, swiss-army knives, 6-speed motorcycles, and athletes that have just as good of a short-game as a long-game. My professional path includes many disciplines including design, development, animation, leadership, fellowship, speaking, listening, instructing, and above all, learning. Today, if asked “what is my tile?”, I would respond that I’m an “Interface Designer“. What does that mean to me?
Interface Design
The planning and execution of digital interactions through words, sounds, graphics and motion to deliver compelling user experiences.
Here are a few other titles that I’ve had the awkward pleasure to be called in my modest career:
Designer
This term is too broad for me. The core meaning of “design” is to “plan” with intention and purpose. Design can be applied to any craft (fashion, music, food, graphics, architecture, etc.) Any task that has purpose requires some degree of planning and thus some degree of design. “If you fail to plan then you must plan to fail.”
Interactive Designer
This title has historically been synonymous with “Web Designer” or “Interface Designer”, but more recently has evolved to describe the role of a user experience architect that applies behavioral sciences to the use of device interaction. Read more here »
Web Designer
Ok. Duh. This is the skill of presenting information for the internet. This title is becoming more diluted in a digital age where not every information system is connected to the internet at all times. I think the title Web Designer should be left to spiders.
Media Designer
Media is a trendy term used by art schools to classify a curriculum that involves the “digital” arts. In the “real world” media can mean Print Media, News Media, Media Buying, Disc Media, Mass Media, and rarely relates to what someone learned in Art School Confidential.
Technical Designer
I’ve heard people use this title in a desperate attempt to describe the function of someone that understands programming but also has a keen eye for design. The problem I have with this title is that it’s redundant. To be a designer, you have to be technical. To me, the word “technical” implies “precision” more than “code”, and who wants a designer that isn’t precise?
Creative Technologist
While I do like this title, it’s not for me. To me, a Creative Technologist is someone that combines a robust mix of technologies to deliver custom IT solutions. This person is an engineer, a leader and a visionary.
Front End Developer
This title has been given to people that make sure that the data coming from the back-end gets displayed in the browser in an elegant manner. They make sure it looks as close as possible to the design comps and that users can navigate effectively. This title scares me because
project-manager types often pigeon-hole you as a “coder” if the word “Developer” is in your title.
Presentation Layer Developer
The Presentation Layer is the 6th layer of the OSI model and is a misleading title for anyone that’s not a network engineer. This term is one of the most widely misused and misunderstood titles applied to people that write html, css and javascript.
Hybrid
This title is intended for anyone that has both design and development skills. Executives may think this sounds good at first because they can pay one person for the price of two roles. This title confuses project planners and can sometimes sets expectations too high for one person to accomplish miracles in a short amount of time. Let’s face it; even hybrid cars will eventually die out when innovators manufacture a more efficient machine.
In conclusion —
My hopes are to continue influencing industry leaders to understand and accept the function of the Interface Designer. I want to help grow this discipline into a role that every team can embrace. I want people to feel comfortable knowing what to expect from each team player. As the digital age continues to evolve so will the roles, skills and titles of future knowledge workers. My title is a moving target that works for me today.
I like what you said about interface design, and as a non-industry individual, I could understand some of what you are talking about.
I agree with you that titles can be sometimes misleading; at others just bullshit.
At other times they can be helpful, especially in a medically related field: “optometrist” tells me something I need to know as does “plumber”.
In the building trade, it would be terrible if all carpenters, brick masons, painters, welders and electricians were called “Architectural Enhancement Technicians” for some trendy-cutesy reason, though it might impress some idiot in a bar. So, on that point I very much agree with what you were saying about superficial and fluff/name only kinds of labels. Now, a riding bitch in a clown car sounds interesting—I’ve never heard that one before.
Feedback instruments that describe social styles are tools. They can best be used to assess our own weaknesses, strengths and comfort zones as observed within a particular group or culture, and help us understand how others (in that group) react to us. It is also particularly helpful in equitable leadership by understanding how other people wish to be treated. I can understand easily how you would be seen as Analytical Driver, but as your father, I’ve had the opportunity to see you operating comfortably in other styles more emotionally responsive. On top of that, I love you and cannot be totally objective about the social styles of my sons.
While we use this information, we are wise to not mold ourselves around it. There are similarities between style and temperament, but they are not the same thing. My temperament type is: Extroversion-Intuitive-Thinking-Perception. But I’ve been charted all over the grid in style: Analytical Expressive; Expressive Analytical, Driving Amiable, and Amiable Driver (generally, my comfort zones are in the amiable quadrant). The good part of that is that they are all close to center, and shows some versatility with behavior around others. The downside can be that versatility isn’t always compliant (especially when the job description is “hammer” and you’re a crescent wrench).
Great piece. Just makes me realize how much I will miss you even more. I think you should just call yourself Renaissance Man and be done with it. Being a jack of all trades always worked for me.