Dustin Curtis bitched about American Airlines’ godawful website.
A User Experience designer at AA decided to explain both why the site was so awful (design by committee) and that the UX team was slowly working to make it a hell of a lot better.
AA searched their exchange database for the text I posted, found the guy, and fired Mr. X on the spot. From what I have learned, they also threatened him with legal action if he spoke to me again. Apparently he broke his non-disclosure agreement by discussing the design process at AA.
American Airlines, this was so fucking stupid I don’t know where to begin.
I could understand it if the design process involved, say, shaving and consuming each other’s pubic hair. Or ritual human sacrifice. Or a glowing omniscient orb from outer space.
But Mr. X disclosed nothing anyone couldn’t already have guessed: That American Airlines, like so many other large companies, is mired in a stifling process of approvals all the way up the chain. The idea of an NDA is to protect sensitive, trade secret information that could destroy a company or product if it got out.
“American Airlines perpetuates crappy design” is neither sensitive nor anything so shocking their competitors hadn’t already figured it out. You cannot look at their web properties without the words design by committee crossing your lips. And if you think the main site is hideous, check out the portals for blacks, gays, and walking vaginas. (Actually, Black Atlas is almost attractive if it weren’t so ridiculously pandering. “Your Passport to the Black Experience?” Holy shit.)
At best they should have reprimanded Mr. X. But firing someone who’s working hard to make them not suck? Clearly we know how American Airlines values not sucking.
