It's almost too easy.

Easier. Faster. More efficient. Done while you sleep.

Buzz words from a culture driven by speed. As designers, we are frequently asked to make things fall into this territory- But at what cost?

The other day I was having a debate with fellow designer Jacob Cohen about this very subject- more specifically the automatic gear shift versus the standard (manual) gear shift. His point was, now that there is a machine handling your gear changes, you are less connected with the act of driving, making the act of driving more dangerous. The manual car driver is far less likely to text, eat, or at least space out while driving. Jake suggested that we revert back to the way things were, before a computer separated our intent from what the machine does.

I argued that ideas like anti-lock brakes, power steering, and traction control were recent advents that are beneficial, because they turn human intuition into intended action. Without anti-lock brakes, jamming the brake pedal would cause your car to go out of control.

But Jake's point is so valid and intriguing. In a world where people have to join gyms to remain healthy, there is a bus stop on nearly every block on 16th st in Washington DC. Many people think Jake is crazy because if something is within two miles, he'll usually walk there. But maybe you're crazy to waste the gas, put the wear and tear on your car, and then drive to a facility where you pay to run in place for an hour. Does anyone else see the discord?

And of course, there is also the sentiment that succeeding at a difficult task is usually more rewarding than a simple one.

Trying to look at making the world more difficult seems hard and counter-intuitive as a designer. Easier has always seemed like better. My suggestion for a solution- when we design something- anything - with the intent of making an act simpler - we need to ask what we are losing in speeding up and dumbing down this task.

Are we losing control and familiarity? The ability to learn something? A little healthy exercise? The satisfaction of a job well done?

The loss of these virtues need to be weighed against how easy the task is being made before making the change. We don't need to revert to the way things were in every respect, but we do need to examine future moves.

What can designers actively do to help abate the sentiment that easier is better?