Text Bots are about to disrupt web design (and business structures in general)

I’ve had a post in mind about the disruption that text (and voice) interfaces are going to wreak upon businesses, but I hadn’t got round to writing more than my first thoughts on the text UI itself, and now someone has done it for me. http://alistapart.com/article/all-talk-and-no-buttons-the-conversational-ui

I consider this an intelligent piece articulating the problems (for businesses) that are right around the corner. Like, *right* around the next corner. Like, this corner, coming … now!

CEOs are overpaid if they haven’t seen what is coming, coming. And I often found in UX that CEOs are no longer in control of the situation, and that UX and more, developers, are in control: How many times has a business initiative been crushed by a developer stating “it can be done, but it’s lots of work” (i.e. budget beyond means of department).

This is the result of the paradigm shift to every company being a technology company, and CEOs not understanding the mechanics of technology. As Henry Ford might have said, “CEOs want faster horses”.

So, here is my personal suggestion to all CEOs out there in the headlights of the technology juggernaut — and it’s no secret: core competencies. Stop marketing your stuff! Let social do it. Just concentrate on your core competence and make awesome products.

Your marketing efforts are in vain. Your website is useless. How will your website be of use when people search for your products via text interface robots? How many users are *really* looking for “t-shirt by [brand]”. They are looking for t-shirts, and will accept any brand that matches their filters — and they *do not* want to filter for your brand.

Stop worrying. Start making awesome. If you make awesome, they will come.