taking the "you" out of user experience

@lnorman16

Taking theout of UX

Lindsey Norman

@lnorman16

#YouOutofUX

@lnorman16

Taking the out of UX

1) Why is empathy important?2) What is empathy?3) Can we learn to be more empathetic?

@lnorman16

empathyWhy is important?

@lnorman16Source: https://twitter.com/BrianKSullivan

https://twitter.com/BrianKSullivan

@lnorman16Source: https://twitter.com/BrianKSullivan/status/581951617471123457

https://twitter.com/BrianKSullivan/status/581951617471123457

@lnorman16

Graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1974

Industrial & Environmental Design

Patricia Moore

Source: rit.edu

https://www.rit.edu/alumni/ihf/inductee.php?inductee=17

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Raymond LoewyMoore began working with Raymond Loewy International in New York City in 1974.

Source: wikipedia.org

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Moore

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350 Architects, Designers, and Engineers

Source: Video - 2012 RIT Innovation Hall of Fame

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpNlBML2FFo

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350 Architects, Designers, and Engineers

(Patricia Moore the only woman)

Source: Video - 2012 RIT Innovation Hall of Fame

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpNlBML2FFo

@lnorman16Source: Image

http://flashbak.com/those-fabulous-and-frightening-1970s-kitchens-1140/

@lnorman16Source: stocksy.com

http://www.stocksy.com/629475

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Pattie: What about people with arthritis? What about people who use a cane?

What about people have lost strength?

What about people with impaired vision?

What about people who use hearing aids?

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Pattie, we dont design for those people.

Source: Wired to Care (p.19)

http://www.amazon.com/Wired-Care-Companies-Prosper-Widespread/dp/013714234X

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Patricia Moores Experiment (1979-1982)

116 cities in the US and Canada

Source: Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lk7ZmV3gYY

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(The worst, ever)

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@lnorman16

Moore began working with Sam and Betsey Farber, founders of OXO.

Sam came up with the idea for OXO after watching his wife using an apple peeler with her arthritic hands.

Source: New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/22/business/sam-farber-creator-of-oxo-utensils-dies-at-88.html

@lnorman16Source: oxo.com

http://www.oxo.com/

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OXO Good Grips tools were an instant success

The company grew rapidly, expanding its line to more than 500 products

Source: Wired to Care (p.184)


@lnorman16Source: Wired to Care (p.185)

Universal Design philosophy


@lnorman16Source: wikipedia.org

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Moore

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Timeout

@lnorman16

Who is this person standing in front of me? And why does she care so much about empathy?

@lnorman16

UX Designer

(P.S. were hiring :)

projekt202.com

http://projekt202.com/

@lnorman16

(not me)

Studied Business (didnt think you could do art for a living)

Favorite class was Marketing Research

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First job: Marketing Research Analyst

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Went back to school so I could learn how to make stuff.

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Worked as an Apple Creative while in school(AKA two years of usability testing)

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Best customer ever

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Try filling these out when you have arthritis

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Out of school, I worked at a small agency as a jack-of-all-trades

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I get to work with crazy talented people that are committed to putting the people that use our products first.

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And we get free snacks.

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empathy?What is

@lnorman16

@lnorman16

Difference between sympathy and empathy

EmpathySympathyIdentifying with the feelings of another, but not necessarily sharing in those emotions. Has an element of feeling bad or sorry for someone else.

Feeling for someone.

The ability to understand the emotions that someone else is feeling and being able to identify with them.

Feeling with someone.

Source: langelett.com | medium.com

http://langelett.com/empathy-vs-sympathy/https://medium.com/designing-atlassian/empathy-vs-sympathy-831a3a7641cc

@lnorman16Source: Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw

@lnorman16

Einfhlung

Origin of the word empathy

From the German word

Source: oxforddictionaries.com

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/Einf%C3%BChlung

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Einfhlung



(Peter Eckert: projekt202 German founder not happy with my pronunciation)



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Einfhlung



Into Feeling



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The psychologist Edward Titchener introduced the term empathy in 1909 into the English language as the translation of the German term Einfhlung

Source: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/empathy/

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/empathy/

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Types of Empathy

CognitiveEmotionalSharing in the emotional experiences of another, feeling what the other person feels(Affective empathy)

Purposely discovering the underlying thoughts and emotions that guides someone elses decisions and behaviors(Perspective taking)

Source: Practical Empathy Indi Young, (p.24-25)

http://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/practical-empathy/

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When do we develop empathy?

Some scientific debate on when this happens

It appears that children must first be able to identify themselves as separate individuals before they can truly feel empathy for others

Source: earlychildhoodnews.com (Eisenberg, 1995)

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=242

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When do we develop empathy?

Some research indicates that it is not until the child is approximately six or seven years old that she becomes cognitively capable of "walking in someone else's shoes"

Source: earlychildhoodnews.com

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=242

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vs.

@lnorman16Source: Video PDF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkYQg0l5bMYhttp://www.bc.edu/content/dam/files/schools/cas_sites/psych/pdf/critique_desires.pdf

@lnorman16Source: Video

Goldfish winning on so many levels

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVdbHAyMXFM

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Can we measure empathy?

Empathy has been studied in a variety of ways, including self-reporting tests.

EQSQ Test: Empathizing Quotient (EQ) and Systemizing Quotient (SQ)

Empathizing Systemizing

vs.

Source: http://personality-testing.info/tests/EQSQ.php

http://personality-testing.info/tests/EQSQ.php

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Can we measure empathy?

EQSQ Test developed by autism researcher Simon Baron-Cohen in 2003

Test consists of 120 statements that you must rate on the scale of (1) strongly disagree (2) slightly disagree (3) slightly agree (4) strongly agree



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Empathy/Autism researcher Simon Baron-Cohen

Actor, Crazy Person

Sacha Baron Cohen

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Baron-Cohen

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Baron-Cohen

@lnorman16Source: http://personality-testing.info/tests/EQSQ.php


@lnorman16

Are there gender differences in empathy?

The EQSQ test appears to show sex differences in the general population, with women scoring higher in empathy but lower in systemizing compared to men

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathizing%E2%80%93systemizing_theory

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Lise Eliot, Associate Professor of Neuroscience at the Chicago Medical School, would argue the differences are small

Source: http://www.liseeliot.com/bio

http://www.liseeliot.com/bio

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Pink Brain, Blue Brain: How Small Differences Grow Into Troublesome Gaps -- And What We Can Do About It

Source: Pink Brain, Blue Brain

http://www.amazon.com/Pink-Brain-Blue-Differences-Troublesome/dp/0547394594

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In subjective tests women tend to score much higher than men, on average

Source: Video Lise Eliot- Debunking Gender Stereotypes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaif1iskP5Q

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However, objective tests show little difference between men and women in their ability to empathize

Source: Video Lise Eliot- Debunking Gender Stereotypes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaif1iskP5Q

@lnorman16Source: huffingtonpost.com whitneyhess.com

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lauren-bacon/women-in-tech-and-empathy_b_2573434.htmlhttps://whitneyhess.com/blog/2013/03/07/is-empathy-womens-work/

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Empathy should be the work of everyone at your organization

(not just women)

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It does a disservice to both sexes (and the user) to relegate empathy

roles to women

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Can empathy be biased?

Cognitive bias is powerful and we have to be aware of it

Source: news.harvard.edu bostonreview.net hbr.org

http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2008/03/study-know-thyself-and-you%E2%80%99ll-know-others-better/http://bostonreview.net/forum/paul-bloom-against-empathyhttps://hbr.org/2015/03/putting-yourself-in-the-customers-shoes-doesnt-work

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Studies show that we are more likely to be empathetic with people who remind us of ourselves, who share our cultural/ethnic background, or people we find attractive



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A Harvard Business Review study showed that marketers who saw themselves as empathetic were more likely to be biased



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Ways to avoid bias

In a follow-up Harvard Business Review study, marketers who were instructed to be aware of their bias were able to check it

Source: hbr.org

https://hbr.org/2015/03/putting-yourself-in-the-customers-shoes-doesnt-work

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Ways to avoid bias

Working with a diverse group of decision-makers may also help With a group you would get different, perhaps

opposing opinions and realize that you were predisposed to think about yourself just from hearing others talk about experiences that are different from yours.

Source: hbr.org

https://hbr.org/2015/03/putting-yourself-in-the-customers-shoes-doesnt-work

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empathetic?Can we learn to be more

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Not everyone is going to be your ideal user

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In order to be empathetic with the people that use our products we have to accommodate those that are not in ideal situations

@lnorman16


The people that use what you make: May not have the latest fancy

device Might not have access to

lightning fast internet May have a vision impairment May be dyslexic May not speak the same

language as you May have never been to your

site before

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We also have to consider the possible emotional states that our users could be in. They might not be in a perfectly happy and wonderful state of mind.

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@lnorman16Source: http://movies.disney.com/inside-out

http://movies.disney.com/inside-out

@lnorman16Source: http://juliahwest.com/prompts/emotion_intensity.html

http://juliahwest.com/prompts/emotion_intensity.html

@lnorman16

We tend to focus on users being in the utmost state of happiness, not very realistic

Source: http://juliahwest.com/prompts/emotion_intensity.html

http://juliahwest.com/prompts/emotion_intensity.html

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Theres a danger in assuming your users are happy

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The problem with this is maybe not everyone had an awesome year.

@lnorman16Source: http://meyerweb.com/

http://meyerweb.com/

@lnorman16Source: http://meyerweb.com/eric/thoughts/2014/12/24/inadvertent-algorithmic-cruelty/

http://meyerweb.com/eric/thoughts/2014/12/24/inadvertent-algorithmic-cruelty/

@lnorman16Source: theguardian.com

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/29/facebook-apologises-over-cruel-year-in-review-clips

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What Facebook couldve done: Offer people a way to opt-out Dont pre-populate the image assuming that it will be ideal

Source: http://5by5.tv/webahead/91 Podcast episode with Eric Meyer

http://5by5.tv/webahead/91

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Possible tools to increase empathy

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Personas (should be based on real people)

Source: http://fakecrow.com/free-persona-template/

http://fakecrow.com/free-persona-template/

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Empathy Mapping

Source: http://uxmag.com/articles/how-to-use-persona-empathy-mapping

http://uxmag.com/articles/how-to-use-persona-empathy-mapping

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Immersive Empathy

Source: Wired to Care Nike experiential empathy, p.138


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Immersive Empathy

Source: http://awards.designforexperience.com/gallery/2013/promoting-empathy-for-users/intuit

http://awards.designforexperience.com/gallery/2013/promoting-empathy-for-users/intuit

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Biometrics: Measuring emotions(AKA the future!)

Source: http://uxpamagazine.org/the-future-of-ux-research/

http://uxpamagazine.org/the-future-of-ux-research/

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Recommended

Source: http://bigdesigndallas.com/sessions/biometrics-in-ux-research-the-next-big-step/

http://bigdesigndallas.com/sessions/biometrics-in-ux-research-the-next-big-step/

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Virtual reality empathy

Source: ted.com - How virtual reality can create the ultimate empathy machine

http://www.ted.com/talks/chris_milk_how_virtual_reality_can_create_the_ultimate_empathy_machine

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None of these beat good ol fashioned listening and observing

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Accept no substitute for listening to and observing real people who need to do the things youre designing a thing to help them do.

-Erika Hall, co-founder of Mule DesignJust Enough Research

Source: Just Enough Research (p.92)

http://abookapart.com/products/just-enough-research

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Ethnography: What do people do and why do they do it?

Must see!

Source: bigdesigndallas.com | Just Enough Research Ethnography definition (p.82)

http://bigdesigndallas.com/sessions/ethnography-in-software-design-an-anthropologists-perspective/http://abookapart.com/products/just-enough-research

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Good ol fashioned listening and observing

Doesnt have to be expensive You dont need a fancy usability lab You dont need a scientist on your team You just need to be willing to seek out other people and

listen to and observe them

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Wrap Up

@lnorman16

Empathy should be the work of everyone at your organization

(not just women)

@lnorman16

Cognitive bias is powerful and we have to be aware of it



@lnorman16

The people that use your products are human, and have a wide range of emotions

(beyond just happiness)

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Be willing to step outside yourself and discover the needs of people who arent like you.

Thats where the real innovation happens.

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Lets care about the people that use the things we make

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Connect with meLindsey Norman

@lnorman16

#YouOutofUX

https://twitter.com/lnorman16

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TildaFonts: Gill SansFlower background image: freepik.com

http://tilda.fontbureau.com/https://www.myfonts.com/fonts/mti/gill-sans/http://www.freepik.com/free-vector/watercolor-floral-frame_802890.htm