Ten years after his original talk on arrogance versus confidence in design, Sharples revisits those lines of enquiry with a decade of scaling businesses and teams — including spectacular mistakes. He argues confidence is the long way round built on craft and evidence, while arrogance is the short route to done; critiques "move fast and break things"; and returns to themes of responsible handoffs (wireframes that fail to invite discussion), respect for craft, and designing for people who will rely on the work day to day.
People
Jonty Sharples
Methods
Design HandoffPassing design intent to engineering (or between design specialisms) with enough specification, rationale and conversation that implementation preserves the intended experience.
Design CritiqueDesign critique is a structured discussion of how well a design meets its objectives. Present the work with its purpose and relevant context, then invite colleagues from different disciplines to identify strengths, problems and questions. Ground feedback in the intended outcome rather than personal taste or judgement of the designer. Use critique while work can still change, repeating it as the design develops. It provides informed perspectives for improvement; it is distinct from a final approval meeting or an expert compliance review.
WireframingLow-to-mid fidelity layouts that show structure, hierarchy and key interactions without final visual polish — used to explore and agree interaction before visual design.