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Subverted Design(joelcalifa.com)

over 5 years ago from Joel Califa, Senior Product Designer at GitHub

  • Joel CalifaJoel Califa, over 5 years ago

    Look, on the one hand you say that "if we build it they will come" doesn't necessarily work (and you're right), but on the other hand you're defending a sketchy tactic used by Airbnb, who already has what, a hundred million users and the accompanied momentum? Where does the optimization stop? When is enough enough?

    To be clear, I don't think marketing and sales are evil. I agree that they are necessary to grow a business. I also agree with "everything in moderation." I don't actually think we're on different sides of this.

    The article isn't about warring factions and I regret that it's being read that way. It's about a system in tech that consistently prioritizes money over user health. The first step is for us to break out of it—because I'm a Designer and I write what I know—the next is for the rest of the industry to break out of it. That can't happen overnight and honestly it's unlikely that it'll happen at all without a serious reckoning, but I have to try. The article is about being better, not about who's wrong and who's right.

    2 points
    • Jimmy HookerJimmy Hooker, over 5 years ago

      I appreciate the intention, I just feel like it’s overly sensitive and ignores problems that are far worse.

      The Airbnb thing to me is not sketchy, I’d like to understand you’re thinking on this more. I also think Facebook’s efforts to retain someone who is deactivating an account are pretty mild. They do far more shadey things with your data than they do with design based retention. Gamifying your attention with Skinner-box-like dopamine hits is far worse.

      In general, in an article like this I’d really want to understand what we’re fighting against, and why it’s bad. Your article is too high level, and instead of exploring the business vs design perspectives, it mostly focuses on a “badness” that has pervaded the design sanctuary.

      Rereading my responses, they’re definitely overly confrontational. However, I knew everyone in here would golf clap this and say “here here!”, and I feel like these ideas need to be challenged.

      I respect you, a lot of your writing is very good. I just disagree with some of your points here, and I think that nuance and detailed examples are pretty important in an opinion piece like this, especially from someone with influence.

      2 points
      • Samantha S, over 5 years ago

        Airbnb didn't start the whole 'x viewers looking at page' urgency pattern, it was in the hotel booking industry... so you can't really blame them for implementing this as they are competing with these travel booking sites.

        For the record, I think it is a shady tactic cause the false sense of urgency really messes with people and their rational decision making process.

        0 points