Designing with Data

Preface

Design and Data: A Perfect Synergy

THE MYTH OF THE “genius designer,” someone whose instincts and intuition lead to great design decisions, is a popular one. This seductive myth can lead some to conclude that design is never grounded in data, that design is never an empirical discipline, and that design practice stands in opposition to data and data sciences.

We understand where this myth comes from. On the surface, data science and design practice are not obviously compatible. Design philosophy and practice emphasizes empathy with users, and the creation and crafting of artful user experiences in the form of effective products. For some designers (and for many outside the design world who valorize design as “inspired genius”), design is a nonlinear, exploratory journey. It is a fundamentally human, fluid, and creative process, unlike the procedures and rigors of “science.” Design is emotional. Design cannot be articulated as a set of procedures or steps to be followed. Design cannot be rationalized and constrained. For some, incorporating data into the design process is a cause for concern.

Some concerns we have heard expressed include:

• Data undermines and undervalues the designer’s intuition and experience

• Data stifles creativity and removes the “art” from the design process

• Data dehumanizes the design process, reducing human experience and design evaluation to “just numbers”

• Data overemphasizes minutiae and optimization of small variations in the design

• Data enslaves you—believing ...