Flipping the switch

Ah, the joys of being handed a new project that involves multiple departments. As someone who’s worked in IT, strategic communication and project management, if cross-functional work isn’t done right, it feels like wandering around a maze, and no one wants to admit they’re lost.

I recently started reading Don Norman's iconic book, "The Design of Everyday Things,” which will open your third eye to all good (and bad) design.

One of the examples he provides is when you walk into a room with a large wall plate of light switches. Each switch controls a light, but the mapping is all off. You find yourself flicking three or four switches just to illuminate the area you’re standing in.

Norman argues that this design failure isn't the fault of any one individual. Rather, it’s due to a lack of coordination among various teams—each installing their piece of the puzzle without understanding how they fit together. Sound familiar? This happens in organizations all the time, and it hurts the user experience as a result.

The challenge of alignment

In my line of work, we often have to pull in Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from various departments. Every department has its own lingo, priorities, and—yes—light switches. The challenge is making sure those switches align. That they illuminate the room effectively and easily. This requires coordination.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m all for replacing a meeting with an email. But sometimes, you need to put faces to names and understand where everyone is coming from. A well-coordinated project benefits from that shared understanding. It lets you map the light switches to the room.

On projects like the one I’ve been assigned, that coordination is what will allow us to make the experience of using a product as easy as flipping a switch.