Technology, with all of it's advancements, can only take us so far. Good design—John Maeda notes in a presentation at the Data & Design Conference—puts people at its core. It is important, he says, to incorporate the human experience into the design process. Empathy and personal judgment are essential components to harnessing the potential of new technologies. Maeda adds that the most effective new products have been created through a combination of data, technology, and human intuition.
Humans, he says, are still capable of rationalizing and being creative in a way that machines are not. While the information we can acquire from big data sets about the functionality of a product is helpful, it is not a complete solution on its own. In the speech, Maeda advocates for a model where we merge humans with machines—to get the most out of both. Insightful but light-hearted, Maeda's presentation perfectly embodied his philosophy of humanizing technology. What's more, he provides a framework for melding man and machine into an innovative, holistic unity ready for the future.
