For profit, or not for profit
Having attended SXSW Interactive and the IDEAS conference this year, it was interesting to compare how the profit world and the non-profit/government world push design and usability forward. The profit world seems to be motivated by profit and market share, they government world by Section 508. Both have had their successes (wired.com, Library of Congress – American Memories) with modern usable design. But which side is doing better and why? Do you have a better user experience on a commercial site, or a government site?
My impression is that the corporate world is taking the lead on this, more interested in figuring out how to meet the practical needs of potential customers whereas too many education organizations trying to figure out the minimum amount of work they need to do to pass a specific checkpoint on a list…
I agree. I don’t think this is going to change anytime soon, it’s just the nature of things. One side is motivated by profit and well funded, the other is motivated by punishment and is underfunded, in many cases.