UXPA Boston Conference 2018

Taboos are a global phenomenon. Some cultural. Some universal. They change with time and seasons. Are they good? Are they bad? Or are they something else entirely? Taboos will be broken during this talk. Are you ready to be a little uncomfortable?

Taboos help set the standards by which we live as a society. There are even niche taboos within communities (e.g. Comic Sans, Bevel & Emboss etc. among designers). But do these boundaries help or hinder us? Do they protect or enslave us? How can we tell?

This talk explores the history and nuance of taboo in society at large and in the design community, and challenges them all. I present four standards by which you can judge taboos, challenge them, and use them to better yourself and your work.