Okay, I wrote my second shot in a hurry! I’ll try and demystify. In short, I’m passionate about educating designers in the benefits of taking a more holistic view of the creative process. Taking the time to explain the impact of design choices on potential commercial outcomes has a profound and empowering effect on the individual. And yes, that’s good for business too!
Surprisingly, I have encountered a few rather vocal designers (mostly on forums, so I don’t honestly know if they’re indicative of the community) who feel product validation and viability aren’t their concern. They believe the creative and commercial processes are mutually exclusive. In other words, validating a product is someone else’s problem. A designer with this type of myopia could perhaps be described as an ‘artist’ masquerading as a ‘designer’? Needless to say, I’ve never experienced this in the real world. Have you?