This is part of the series Catalyst 2013.
I’m a huge fan of good usability. Whenever I work on a website or consult on web strategy, the core principle I advocate for is making the site as easy to use as possible. Further, this should be our mindset not only with websites, but with everything. For at the end of the day, it’s hard for your product or service or experience to help people if they find it confusing.
Creating good usability is actually a leadership task, because the essence of what leaders do is create clarity. Good usability makes things clear for people, and therefore is actually a form of good leadership.
That’s why the minute I walked in to the arena here today at Catalyst, I felt right at home. Everywhere around the arena they have people like the guy below holding up signs that say “need help?” If you need to figure out where to go, or where you can find a can of Diet Coke, or where to register, there’s no guessing. Just ask one of these people.
That is awesome. You can’t get any more clear than that. And, best of all, this is a model of good leadership right where you would expect it — at a leadership conference. Leaders make things clear. And here at Catalyst, what this shows me is that that task of leadership is evident not just in the speakers and teaching, as important as that is, but right down to the details of finding your way around.
Love it. That’s an example to learn from.
