Discuss How to design like Leonardo da Vinci

Excellent article, I really found in interesting. If you could bring together that many creatives then get them to play nicely, that would be the pinnacle of creating a great UX team.

Here we go again. Placing people in their little boxes, closed off from the rest of the production line.

Sorry, but this whole multidisciplinary idea I have seen first hand result in compromised, stitched together web projects where it's easy to spot where someone in the production line has not meshed their part with the next box along. Why? Because management read articles like this, and tell everyone to stick to their boxes and therefore reduced timeline and opportunity to problem solve and make a genuine product which is flawless and cohesive from corner to corner.

This article basically says "don't rely on smart people but instead hire regular people, capable of only one task and nothing else".

Forget "genius", I'm talking about regular old intelligence. People who are passionate about the web and know a thing or two about how it should work, and how it should be built. They might be a "developer" or "designer" but their analysis skills might cross over and actually save projects from a sticky-taped design by silo approach, or they might prevent wasted money on endless user testing that only returns the bleeting obvious.

There's the very real risk that flawed info architecture makes it's way along the production line without ANYONE questioning or even thinking twice about it... because they are not allowed to question it and don't have time to think about anything except their little task in their little box.

User testing is not gospel, it's a very rough guide. But I see IA and UX people relying on user testing TOO MUCH instead of their own rational approach. After awhile, they cannot even make a simple decision about what links where without recruiting users off the street.

The production line is flawed. I'm not suggesting one person does all the work. I'm suggesting LESS of a production line approach and more a circular evolving production whereby recognising the skills in the team and using those skills is allowed and encouraged.