We all have reason to be proud of the progress our profession has made in recent years. Awareness of (and demand for) interaction design is at an all-time high. We have better job opportunities and better salaries than ever before. Product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders are increasingly drawn to interaction design’s promise: more successful products and services, greater customer loyalty, and more efficient and effective processes.
Though we’ve accomplished a great deal, our chosen field is not yet mature. There aren’t enough skilled practitioners to meet the demand we’ve created. Far too many of our best ideas still don’t make it into the hands of users. Many stakeholders still don’t know how to make the best use of our skills. All of us—together and as individuals—must find ways to address these issues if we are to deliver on the promise of our profession.
About Kim Goodwin:
Kim Goodwin is VP of Design at Cooper, where she leads an integrated practice of interaction, visual, and industrial designers. Kim has also led the creation of the acclaimed Cooper U curriculum, and is the author of a comprehensive how-to book, Designing for the Digital Age. Kim knows the design world from multiple angles; in addition to spending the last 11 years at a leading consultancy, she has been an in-house designer, sole proprietor, and in-house creative director. She has led a wide range of design projects: Web sites, complex analytical and enterprise applications, phones, medical devices, and even organizations. Her clients and employers have included everything from one-man startups to the world’s largest companies, as well as universities and government agencies. Kim’s design expertise and teaching skill have made her popular as a speaker at conferences around the world.
