Desire, data, and doubt — the sacred fundamentals of human interaction

Timeless wisdom from sci-fi applied to UX.

A few weeks ago, I finished reading God-Emperor of Dune by Frank Herbert. It’s a heart-wrenching and disturbing masterpiece. The protagonist of the book says the following about human behavior:

“Desire brings the participants together.
Data sets the limits of their dialogue.
Doubt frames the questions.”

According to Herbert, any agreement or interaction between individuals or groups is an “agreement tripod” — like a table with three legs — based on the three fundamentals D-s: data, desire, and doubt. This concept perfectly fits how users behave when interacting with digital and non-digital objects.

Let’s break it down with an example:

1. Say I want some tea — that’s desire. It’s the motivation that sparks action.
2. I need to decide what type of tea to prepare. I have 15 different kinds in the cupboard, so now I have to analyze the options. Is it time for something spicy, strong, or fruity? That’s data analysis — sorting through the available information to make a choice.
3. The instructions on the packaging state: “Add two pinches to the…