Good design requires understanding. And true understanding (of customer/user and business needs, constraints, opportunities, etc.) doesn’t just happen. It requires probing, studying, and questioning.

So, when one stops asking questions, for whatever reason, good design becomes much more difficult. Through the years I have repeatedly seen one key reason that people stop asking questions: Smart Guy Syndrome (or SGS). (Not to be sexist, but my experience is that men have a much bigger problem with SGS than women — although it does afflict women on occasion.)

It usually happens like this. A guy is given a job/ project/ team/ whatever to run — because he is a “smart guy.” Now, he needs to support the premise that he is indeed a smart guy. He is a smart guy because he has the answers. Asking questions would just undermine his position as a smart guy, therefore he quits asking questions. It doesn’t happen all at once, but gradually the questions and the probing lessen, and more and more trust is placed in what is already “known.” After all, he is a smart guy. As this happens, the design becomes more ego-centric, and based less on true needs and opportunities.

If you stop and think for a minute (and you are honest with yourself), I’m sure you can recall several cases of SGS. You may have even been afflicted at one time yourself (most of us have). The challenge for each of us is to stay alert, to recognize the early signs of SGS, and take preventive measures (seek true understanding through probing, studying, and questioning). Avoiding SGS is one of the best ways to improve designs. Trust me, I know…