Not just "technical" (Score 2, Insightful)

All of the technical skills in the world are useless if the programmer doesn't understand what people want (or at least would like).
However, it is very expensive and difficult to really understand how people use things. The solution, I think, starts with taking user-friendly interfaces from other products (and not just software ... machines that people use everyday, such as TV remotes and their "Recall" button (kinda like alt-tab), can teach us things).