I have to think there are technically-minded product designers who have an innate knack for building products that turn out incredibly social and engaging. Maybe they're unsung heros of online community? I'm talking about the ones who's products fuel community naturally - Etsy, Kickstarter, Tumblr, Threadless, Zappos - they not only seem to cross industry boundaries but often exist largely without community managers for a good stretch of their early growth.

Do you think that is really a function of design or product? Most product designers I know focus on UI/UX, and how to solve specific problems. Sometimes, they do also contribute to how the product actually works, however, I see this more often with product managers.

Brad Dickason, Director of Product at Shapeways and my former coworker, is my favorite example. He has a cross-disciplinary background as a DJ, a developer, and a professional gamer. Having cut his teeth in the online gaming world, Brad understands the social fabric of digital products with amazing sharpness and compassion. I still miss our jam sessions. :)

I had the opportunity to listen to Kevin Hale speak at UserConf about how him and his team built WuFoo through support driven design. One major point he made is that most engineers and designers are divorced from the consequences of their actions. Connecting them with their community by making them support the product they build is a way to help them make better products. More good info can be found in his slide deck here: speakerdeck.com