SlideShare a Scribd company logo
1 of 66
Download to read offline
The Power of

Why ?
                        Note:

                        This is a combination of three talks I gave
                        in a three week span in Aug/Sep 2012:
                        - UX Week (San Francisco)
                        - UX Australia (Brisbane)
                        - RMIT (Melbourne)
                        Naturally, this talk evolved in between
                        each run. This version combines all three.

                        The live presentation uses a lot of
                        animations to augment the story. Since
                        animations don’t translate to PDF, this
                        version attempts to recreate the essence
                        of the live version with static screens.

                        Boxes like this include things I said, but
                        didn’t appear in the live versions.



Bill DeRouchey          Consider them as speaker notes or
                        talking points.

                        I’d love to keep expanding on this, so

Aug/Sep 2012 @billder   please send any feedback to
                        billder@gmail.com. Thanks!
wh
     Today we’re going to talk about that
     deep probing question, Why?, and how it
     relates to our careers as designers.
We are all quite

Lucky.
                   First, let’s take a step back to
                   acknowledge that all of us in this room
                   are incredibly lucky to have the career
                   that we do. The world of design and user
                   experience is an incredible profession to
                   be a part of.
Our job is to talk to people.




                It’s our job to talk to people, to
                understand what they do and how they
                live. We get to go out, meet strangers,
                and simply learn from about subjects that
                we often don’t know much about.


                                              flickr : kunchia
And   ask them questions.




             We even get to go outdoors sometimes.
             Propose ideas to people. Ask them
             questions. Get their feedback. Invite
             people to partake of the design process,
             even if it’s just fifteen minutes at a time.


                                              flickr : kunchia
And then make things for them.




                  And then we get to go back to the office
                  and make things for them. Hopefully help
                  out their lives somehow. Ease some
                  burden or just make something better.


                                        Studio Neat : Cosmonaut
But we have a

Problem.
                But we’re faced with massive
                undercurrent of the relentless pace of
                technology. Keeping up with everything
                keeps getting harder and harder.
How can we plan our

Careers ?
                      The result is that it makes it really difficult
                      to plan out our careers. Looking ahead to
                      plot a career may even be an antiquated



We can’t.             notion. Mine has definitely been one step
                      at a time. But there’s something to be
                      said for having some sort of direction as
                      we go ahead in life.
1967   1977   1987   2012




                       Let’s look at this from the long view. We’re here in 2012. Suppose
                       you’re 25, 35, 45 years old. Maybe even a bit more.
1967   1977   1987   1997   2007 2012 2017           2027          2037           2047           2057




                                   And based on good medicine and exercise (right?), we’re all going to
                                   be at least 90 years old. Congratulations! Your career will span these
                                   years if you’re 25, 35 or 45. Notice how quickly 2047 comes along.
1967   1977   1987   1997   2007 2012 2017          2027           2037          2047           2057




                              touch
                     web
                                   Let’s look at the rapid tech evolution. The web has only been around
                                   for this long. Widespread use of touch, even less time. The iPhone only
                                   came out five years ago. Five. Years. Ago.
1967   1977   1987   1997     2007 2012 2017          2027          2037          2047          2057




                                                                                              ?
                                      flexible neural
                                      displays? implants?
                                touch       dynamic
                     webweb
                     the                    surfaces?
                                     So what technologies do we have to adapt our design skills to next?
                                     How can we continually drive toward something while we’re continually
                                     learning about the mediums we have to design with and for?
Luckily, there is one

Constant.
                        Fortunately, beside all this technology
                        churn, there is one skill that we can work
                        on throughout our careers. At least one
                        constant that will serve us well at any age,
                        and in any situation.
Simply asking

Why ?
                The ability to simply ask Why? To ask a
                probing, yet reasonable and calm, Why?
                In any situation.
Why   does that happen          ?
                   Suppose you’re analyzing the action and
                   feedback of a product and it does
                   something unexpected. Why did that
                   happen? What drove that design
                   decision?
Why   is that the plan    ?
                     Suppose you’re in a business that has a
                     deadline to ship on a certain date,
                     despite pressure that it’s a bad date. Why
                     is that the plan? What’s driving that
                     business decision?
Why   is that the way   ?
                    Suppose you’re in a business that has a
                    certain method for doing things, and it
                    no longer works. Why is this the way we
                    do things? Why did it make sense then,
                    but not now?
Why   did you do that   ?
                    Suppose you’re out in the field observing
                    someone during some primary research.
                    They hold a thing, or do things in an
                    interesting order, or make an unexpected
                    choice. Why did you do that? Tell me
                    more about how you made that choice,
                    or were you even aware of it?
Why   do you believe that               ?
                    Suppose somebody uses an interesting
                    word that reveals how they think about
                    something. That’s an interesting phrase.
                    Does that mean you think this? Why do
                    you believe that?
Why What How/Much
Who When Where
             These are the questions that set us apart.
             These are the words that help us uncover
             the truth, that help us understand the
             world around us. And I think it’s these
             concepts that separate us from the other
             creatures on the planet. “I think.”
Why What How/Much
Who When Where =

Being Human
Let’s look at this another way. A common
framework for looking at projects is What,
How, Why.

What you are working on.
How you are working on it.
Why you are working on it.

In theory, the Why is the core and
changes the least often. How you achieve
that vision may change a bit more. And
What the work entails will change the
most rapidly.




           What How Why
Scott Sinek calls this the Golden Circle.
He says that people who focus on Why
something should happen tend to have
the best success in getting things done,
because they have the vision and can
communicate it.




            What How Why
It is our job to create a

Conversation.
                            So let’s dig more into what it is to ask the
                            question Why?

                            It’s our job as UX people to have
                            conversations with people. They may be
                            research participants, co-workers, or
                            other partners. But as we need to learn
                            from others and craft solutions, part of
                            that is simply have a productive
                            conversation with somebody.
We often have to ask hard

Questions.
                        But in our quest to learn about how
                        things can be better, different, or
                        improved, we often have to ask people
                        questions they don’t normally hear. We
                        often have to ask them questions about
                        Why they do/think/believe various things.
                        We have to probe.
Why? digs under the

Surface.
                      These aren’t your everyday questions.
                      These are questions that dig below the
                      surface of everyday activity. These are
                      questions that dig into the layers under
                      behavior and sometimes into the
                      subconscious.
And this can be

Tricky.
                  And these are delicate conversations.
                  These are questions that require people
                  to step outside themselves to assess what
                  they are doing or thinking. And
                  sometimes with a stranger filming them
                  and somebody else taking notes. No
                  pressure at all!
People can get

Weird.
                 Not everybody is up for being placed in
                 this tricky situation. They may put up their
                 barriers and get weird somehow.
                 Defensive. Unsure. Flippant. In short, they
                 don’t respond to you in an open manner
                 because they feel threatened in some
                 way.
Uneasy    Unsure
    Flustered    Flippant
    Defensive    Agitated
   Territorial   Confused
Uncomfortable    Distracted
Problems arise when

Who = Why
                      And this is because some people tie what
                      they believe in with who they are, their
                      identity. When you question what they do
                      or how they think, you are questioning
                      them as a person. No wonder some
                      people get defensive. It’s because they
                      believe you’re attacking them. And of
                      course, you’re not.
Who ≠ Why
       So we need to break the bond between
       Who and Why. How?
Compassion
  Curiosity
 and
 With compassion and curiosity. These will help you to reach people so that you can learn what you need to learn.
First, Compassion.

What better living embodiment of
compassion then the Dalai Lama? A man
who simply travels the world trying to get
people to be nicer to themselves so they
can be nicer to others.




                                             Compassion   davechan.ca
It is not just about

Empathy.
                       Many people say that designers need
                       empathy, and I agree. But is it enough?
                       Can we be truly feel what another person
                       is feeling? If I’m interviewing a surgeon, a
                       social worker or a mom, I can
                       intellectually identify with their feelings,
                       but never at a real gut level.
Empathy first requires

Compassion.
                        So we need to push ourselves a little
                        harder. We need to reach out to the
                        participant, the co-worker, the partner to
                        really want to help them. Compassion is
                        the alleviation of someone else’s
                        suffering. Which not coincidentally,
                        sounds a little bit like design itself.
Compassion
“ If you approach others
  with the thought of
  compassion, that will
  automatically reduce fear
  and allow an openness
  with other people.”
         Reducing someone’s fear can open them up.
Curiosity

 The other thing that designers need to
 reach people with is Curiosity. We’ve all
 been around two- and three-year olds
 and witnessed their insatiable need to
 know Why the world works the way it
 does.

 Why is the sky blue? Why do we need
 money? Why does Darth Vader always
 wear a helmet?


flickr : kristaphoto
It is the eternal

Unfolding.
                    Asking Why? helps us to continually
                    understand the world around us, to
                    unfold the hidden aspects of our world.
                    Since it’s impossible to know everything,
                    it’s 100% possible to keep learning.
It is the essence of

Why?
                       And curiosity is of course the essence of
                       Why? It’s that desire to learn about
                       something you don’t know, to expand
                       your knowledge about something.
And it requires

Tenacity.
                  And curiosity for designers requires the
                  tenacity of a three-year old. The
                  neverending drive to want to learn more
                  about the subject at hand.
Curiosity
You will fly to another
planet, parachute into
the thin atmosphere,
and drop yourself by
a sky crane just to go
look at rocks.
                         What better role model for curiosity
                         than Curiosity?
On one side, compassion for the people
  that we need to have hard conversations
  with. On the other, tenacious curiosity to
  understand and build. Those are both
  necessary components for designing.




THIS IS DESIGN
I want to see you right in the middle,
       employing both compassion and
       curiosity.




                    YOU

Compassion Curiosity
Now if you slightly twist these words, you
   get Genuine Interest. And that’s what you
   need to really reach people. Simply
   display genuine interest in what they
   have to say, because people can sense
   fake interest.




                YOU

Genuine Interest
Ok, let’s say you’ve spent some time
                     practicing how to ask Why? with
                     compassion and curiosity... now what?

                     You can now look at three different levels
                     you can focus your Why skills on:
                     individuals, organizations, and the world.




Why?   a Person an Org the World
Let’s start with people. Most of this talk
                  has already been discussing one-on-one
                  conversations, so I won’t belabor this
                  point too much.




Why?   a Person
But simply having and displaying genuine
                        interest in what somebody has to say is
                        the best way to reach somebody, the
                        best way to have a conversation that
                        probes into what they do and think.
                        People will tell you their life story if they
                        think you want to hear it.




flickr : halfchinese
                      PEOPLE
Now let’s step it up a level and talk about
                    groups of people, and that usually
                    means....




Why?   an Organization
When your design problem becomes the
      business itself.




BUSINESS!
Why? exposes the

Ruts & Habits.
                   Too often, businesses fall into habits into
                   the way they do things. They drop into
                   ruts they can’t escape. Why? can expose
                   the assumptions behind them, can shine
                   light on decisions that made sense
                   months or years ago, but maybe not now.

                   You have the skills to probe into business
                   decisions to understand why things
                   happen.
It reveals absurdity of

BECAUSE
I SAID SO.                Asking Why? often times will also bubble
                          up to somebody simply saying “because I
                          said so” without any backup of reasoning
                          or logical thought. Gut is one thing, but if
                          you can’t articulate anything beyond
                          “because”, then you have a problem. A
                          good designer can probe here to surface
                          that.
And then at some point...

Why ? Why!
                            And then at some point in your career,
                            the skills you’ve developed in having
                            conversations with people leads you to
                            developing skills in articulating ideas.
You learned to

Distill.
                 Because you’ve learned how to distill
                 many different data points or discussions
                 into a single concept, framework or
                 model.
You learned to

Communicate.
                 You’ve learned to develop ways to
                 communicate what you’ve distilled,
                 whether it be prototypes, words,
                 diagrams or images.
You are asked to

Explain.
                   And your co-workers and colleagues
                   recognize this and look to you as the one
                   who can explain things.
Your job then becomes to

Evangelize.
                       You become the champion of ideas
                       because you’ve learned to talk to people,
                       pose questions, distill your findings, and
                       communicate them.
You have the tools to say

This is WHY!
                            You’ve built up a skill set that can say
                            Why something should happen because
                            you can back it up with observations,
                            thought, and rationale.
This is driving the trend of

UX Product.
                          And this is what I believe is behind the
                          trend of UX people becoming product
                          managers. Because they’ve developed
                          the skills to understand people and
                          create ideas appropriate to them.
                          They’ve learned how to be advocates for
                          people, not just business plans.
Then you get the itch to

Go Bigger.
                           And then at some point in your career,
                           you may get that burn to try out your
                           skills on even bigger problems.
And that means looking at the big world
       around you.




Why?     in the World
And that means the big institutions of our
         lives.




INSTITUTIONS!
The really big things that




          Food   Water
                         we’ve built up that all have
                         massive problems that need
                         fixing. Massive. Problems.




        Energy   Science
       Banking   Social Care
     Education   Health Care
    Insurance    Government
Transportation   Environment
These are the BIGGEST design

Problems.
                        The great thing is, we can apply our
                        design thinking to these problems.
                        They’re just bigger, harder, more
                        intransigent, and ultimately, more
                        worthwhile in the long run to tackle.
Use your ability to ask Why to

Go Fix Them.
                          Because in the end, somebody has to
                          break through this mess we’ve created for
                          ourselves. Why shouldn’t it be the
                          designers of the world who conceive of
                          new ways to live and work and be
                          human? Isn’t that what we do?
Live to be at least 90 years old.
Practice asking Why?
Really connect with people.
With Compassion. With Curiosity.
Question everything, small and big.
And then go redesign it all.      In summary...
Thank you.




Bill DeRouchey              What’s
Aug/Sep 2012 @billder   stopping you?

More Related Content

What's hot

How great leaders inspire action by Simon Sinek - a visual summary
How great leaders inspire action by Simon Sinek - a visual summaryHow great leaders inspire action by Simon Sinek - a visual summary
How great leaders inspire action by Simon Sinek - a visual summarySameer Mathur
 
Leadership excellence-level 5 leadership
Leadership excellence-level 5 leadershipLeadership excellence-level 5 leadership
Leadership excellence-level 5 leadershipSohan Khatri
 
Execution: The discipline of getting things done
Execution: The discipline of getting things doneExecution: The discipline of getting things done
Execution: The discipline of getting things doneabhishek singh
 
How to create and inspire trust in leadership
How to create and inspire trust in leadershipHow to create and inspire trust in leadership
How to create and inspire trust in leadershipFull Circle Image
 
Transitioning to leadership & management roles
Transitioning to leadership & management rolesTransitioning to leadership & management roles
Transitioning to leadership & management rolesRebecca Jones
 
Good to great
Good to greatGood to great
Good to greatGMR Group
 
7 steps to a high performing team
7 steps to a high performing team7 steps to a high performing team
7 steps to a high performing teamFocusU Engage
 
The Speed of Trust by Stephen M R Covey & Rebecca R Merrill
The Speed of Trust by Stephen M R Covey & Rebecca R MerrillThe Speed of Trust by Stephen M R Covey & Rebecca R Merrill
The Speed of Trust by Stephen M R Covey & Rebecca R MerrillSunilraj1968
 
First Break All The Rules
First Break All The RulesFirst Break All The Rules
First Break All The RulesStrategyWorks
 
Building teams that excel - Creating trust in teams
Building teams that excel - Creating trust in teamsBuilding teams that excel - Creating trust in teams
Building teams that excel - Creating trust in teamsJose E. Rodriguez Huerta
 
Group work &; team work
Group work &; team workGroup work &; team work
Group work &; team workhamza munir
 
Attitude Management Presentation
Attitude Management PresentationAttitude Management Presentation
Attitude Management PresentationBala Bharath K V
 
Dealing with difficult conversations at work
Dealing with difficult conversations at work Dealing with difficult conversations at work
Dealing with difficult conversations at work Richard Riche
 
Execution - The Discipline of getting things done
Execution - The Discipline of getting things doneExecution - The Discipline of getting things done
Execution - The Discipline of getting things doneSathish Kumar P
 

What's hot (20)

Success by attitude
Success by attitudeSuccess by attitude
Success by attitude
 
How great leaders inspire action by Simon Sinek - a visual summary
How great leaders inspire action by Simon Sinek - a visual summaryHow great leaders inspire action by Simon Sinek - a visual summary
How great leaders inspire action by Simon Sinek - a visual summary
 
Leadership excellence-level 5 leadership
Leadership excellence-level 5 leadershipLeadership excellence-level 5 leadership
Leadership excellence-level 5 leadership
 
Execution: The discipline of getting things done
Execution: The discipline of getting things doneExecution: The discipline of getting things done
Execution: The discipline of getting things done
 
Trust
TrustTrust
Trust
 
Mindset
MindsetMindset
Mindset
 
How to create and inspire trust in leadership
How to create and inspire trust in leadershipHow to create and inspire trust in leadership
How to create and inspire trust in leadership
 
Transitioning to leadership & management roles
Transitioning to leadership & management rolesTransitioning to leadership & management roles
Transitioning to leadership & management roles
 
Good to great
Good to greatGood to great
Good to great
 
7 steps to a high performing team
7 steps to a high performing team7 steps to a high performing team
7 steps to a high performing team
 
Performance Conversations
Performance ConversationsPerformance Conversations
Performance Conversations
 
The Speed of Trust by Stephen M R Covey & Rebecca R Merrill
The Speed of Trust by Stephen M R Covey & Rebecca R MerrillThe Speed of Trust by Stephen M R Covey & Rebecca R Merrill
The Speed of Trust by Stephen M R Covey & Rebecca R Merrill
 
First Break All The Rules
First Break All The RulesFirst Break All The Rules
First Break All The Rules
 
Building teams that excel - Creating trust in teams
Building teams that excel - Creating trust in teamsBuilding teams that excel - Creating trust in teams
Building teams that excel - Creating trust in teams
 
Group work &; team work
Group work &; team workGroup work &; team work
Group work &; team work
 
Attitude Management Presentation
Attitude Management PresentationAttitude Management Presentation
Attitude Management Presentation
 
Dealing with difficult conversations at work
Dealing with difficult conversations at work Dealing with difficult conversations at work
Dealing with difficult conversations at work
 
Execution - The Discipline of getting things done
Execution - The Discipline of getting things doneExecution - The Discipline of getting things done
Execution - The Discipline of getting things done
 
Good To Great
Good To GreatGood To Great
Good To Great
 
Resilience
ResilienceResilience
Resilience
 

Viewers also liked

User Experience vs Customer Experience - same,same but different
User Experience vs Customer Experience - same,same but differentUser Experience vs Customer Experience - same,same but different
User Experience vs Customer Experience - same,same but differentNiels Anhalt
 
Brand Services – A user centric marketing tool
Brand Services – A user centric marketing toolBrand Services – A user centric marketing tool
Brand Services – A user centric marketing toolChristian Vatter
 
Google web master tools
Google web master toolsGoogle web master tools
Google web master toolsMarref Imen
 
Methodes de design UX : revolutionnez votre coffre à outils ! - Soiree TLMUX ...
Methodes de design UX : revolutionnez votre coffre à outils ! - Soiree TLMUX ...Methodes de design UX : revolutionnez votre coffre à outils ! - Soiree TLMUX ...
Methodes de design UX : revolutionnez votre coffre à outils ! - Soiree TLMUX ...Carine Lallemand
 
Presentacion impresion 3D resinas printerpartybcn 2015
Presentacion impresion 3D resinas printerpartybcn 2015Presentacion impresion 3D resinas printerpartybcn 2015
Presentacion impresion 3D resinas printerpartybcn 20153D Print Barcelona
 
Atelier iE7 MARKETING DE NICHE : LES OPPORTUNITÉS D’UN MARKETING ALTERNATIF
Atelier iE7 MARKETING DE NICHE : LES OPPORTUNITÉS D’UN MARKETING ALTERNATIFAtelier iE7 MARKETING DE NICHE : LES OPPORTUNITÉS D’UN MARKETING ALTERNATIF
Atelier iE7 MARKETING DE NICHE : LES OPPORTUNITÉS D’UN MARKETING ALTERNATIFSalon e-tourisme #VeM
 
Let's build an Airport – How to estimate large scale projects
Let's build an Airport – How to estimate large scale projectsLet's build an Airport – How to estimate large scale projects
Let's build an Airport – How to estimate large scale projects☕ 🥧 🚲 Martin Gude
 
The Top Skills That Can Get You Hired in 2017
The Top Skills That Can Get You Hired in 2017The Top Skills That Can Get You Hired in 2017
The Top Skills That Can Get You Hired in 2017LinkedIn
 

Viewers also liked (10)

Agile for all
Agile for allAgile for all
Agile for all
 
User Experience vs Customer Experience - same,same but different
User Experience vs Customer Experience - same,same but differentUser Experience vs Customer Experience - same,same but different
User Experience vs Customer Experience - same,same but different
 
Brand Services – A user centric marketing tool
Brand Services – A user centric marketing toolBrand Services – A user centric marketing tool
Brand Services – A user centric marketing tool
 
Sick Cycle Carousel
Sick Cycle CarouselSick Cycle Carousel
Sick Cycle Carousel
 
Google web master tools
Google web master toolsGoogle web master tools
Google web master tools
 
Methodes de design UX : revolutionnez votre coffre à outils ! - Soiree TLMUX ...
Methodes de design UX : revolutionnez votre coffre à outils ! - Soiree TLMUX ...Methodes de design UX : revolutionnez votre coffre à outils ! - Soiree TLMUX ...
Methodes de design UX : revolutionnez votre coffre à outils ! - Soiree TLMUX ...
 
Presentacion impresion 3D resinas printerpartybcn 2015
Presentacion impresion 3D resinas printerpartybcn 2015Presentacion impresion 3D resinas printerpartybcn 2015
Presentacion impresion 3D resinas printerpartybcn 2015
 
Atelier iE7 MARKETING DE NICHE : LES OPPORTUNITÉS D’UN MARKETING ALTERNATIF
Atelier iE7 MARKETING DE NICHE : LES OPPORTUNITÉS D’UN MARKETING ALTERNATIFAtelier iE7 MARKETING DE NICHE : LES OPPORTUNITÉS D’UN MARKETING ALTERNATIF
Atelier iE7 MARKETING DE NICHE : LES OPPORTUNITÉS D’UN MARKETING ALTERNATIF
 
Let's build an Airport – How to estimate large scale projects
Let's build an Airport – How to estimate large scale projectsLet's build an Airport – How to estimate large scale projects
Let's build an Airport – How to estimate large scale projects
 
The Top Skills That Can Get You Hired in 2017
The Top Skills That Can Get You Hired in 2017The Top Skills That Can Get You Hired in 2017
The Top Skills That Can Get You Hired in 2017
 

Similar to Power of Why

Unconventional wisdom: Putting the WHY Before the WHAT of Presentation Design
Unconventional wisdom: Putting the WHY Before the WHAT of Presentation DesignUnconventional wisdom: Putting the WHY Before the WHAT of Presentation Design
Unconventional wisdom: Putting the WHY Before the WHAT of Presentation DesignSheila B. Robinson
 
How to take your slides to the next level
How to take your slides to the next levelHow to take your slides to the next level
How to take your slides to the next levelMahmoud Masmoudi
 
CSUN Inclusive Design Changes Perspective
CSUN Inclusive Design Changes PerspectiveCSUN Inclusive Design Changes Perspective
CSUN Inclusive Design Changes PerspectiveJess Mitchell
 
Anyone can be a ux designer: Not everyone IS one.
Anyone can be a ux designer: Not everyone IS one.Anyone can be a ux designer: Not everyone IS one.
Anyone can be a ux designer: Not everyone IS one.Dave Malouf
 
KI University - Design decisions & patterns
KI University - Design decisions & patternsKI University - Design decisions & patterns
KI University - Design decisions & patternsmfkaptan
 
ON THE ROADS-AYSE BIRSEL
ON THE ROADS-AYSE BIRSELON THE ROADS-AYSE BIRSEL
ON THE ROADS-AYSE BIRSELFatih Cetiz
 
The elements of product success for designers and developers
The elements of product success for designers and developersThe elements of product success for designers and developers
The elements of product success for designers and developersNick Myers
 
BP_Ultimate_STEM_Challenge_Presentation.pptx
BP_Ultimate_STEM_Challenge_Presentation.pptxBP_Ultimate_STEM_Challenge_Presentation.pptx
BP_Ultimate_STEM_Challenge_Presentation.pptxRahulSrinivasan28
 
Pair Design
Pair DesignPair Design
Pair DesignKim Dowd
 
Pair Design: How to Mind-Meld for Ideation
Pair Design: How to Mind-Meld for IdeationPair Design: How to Mind-Meld for Ideation
Pair Design: How to Mind-Meld for IdeationColby Sato
 
Monday Night, March 3rd, Visual Rhetoric
Monday Night, March 3rd, Visual RhetoricMonday Night, March 3rd, Visual Rhetoric
Monday Night, March 3rd, Visual RhetoricMiami University
 
Visual Thinking: Working with Pictures
Visual Thinking: Working with PicturesVisual Thinking: Working with Pictures
Visual Thinking: Working with PicturesChristina Wodtke
 
Startup Weekend - Interviewing Customers
Startup Weekend - Interviewing CustomersStartup Weekend - Interviewing Customers
Startup Weekend - Interviewing CustomersTim O'Connor
 
Developers, you're designing experiences (and you didn't even know it)
Developers, you're designing experiences (and you didn't even know it)Developers, you're designing experiences (and you didn't even know it)
Developers, you're designing experiences (and you didn't even know it)P.J. Onori
 
Inclusive Design: A Path to Innovation
Inclusive Design: A Path to InnovationInclusive Design: A Path to Innovation
Inclusive Design: A Path to InnovationJess Mitchell
 
Design the future of the Australian Web Industry with Design Thinking
Design the future of the Australian Web Industry with Design ThinkingDesign the future of the Australian Web Industry with Design Thinking
Design the future of the Australian Web Industry with Design ThinkingWilliam Donovan
 
Design Thinking by Mark Uraine
Design Thinking by Mark UraineDesign Thinking by Mark Uraine
Design Thinking by Mark UraineMark Uraine
 

Similar to Power of Why (20)

Unconventional wisdom: Putting the WHY Before the WHAT of Presentation Design
Unconventional wisdom: Putting the WHY Before the WHAT of Presentation DesignUnconventional wisdom: Putting the WHY Before the WHAT of Presentation Design
Unconventional wisdom: Putting the WHY Before the WHAT of Presentation Design
 
How to take your slides to the next level
How to take your slides to the next levelHow to take your slides to the next level
How to take your slides to the next level
 
Inclusivedesign101
Inclusivedesign101Inclusivedesign101
Inclusivedesign101
 
CSUN Inclusive Design Changes Perspective
CSUN Inclusive Design Changes PerspectiveCSUN Inclusive Design Changes Perspective
CSUN Inclusive Design Changes Perspective
 
Anyone can be a ux designer: Not everyone IS one.
Anyone can be a ux designer: Not everyone IS one.Anyone can be a ux designer: Not everyone IS one.
Anyone can be a ux designer: Not everyone IS one.
 
KI University - Design decisions & patterns
KI University - Design decisions & patternsKI University - Design decisions & patterns
KI University - Design decisions & patterns
 
ON THE ROADS-AYSE BIRSEL
ON THE ROADS-AYSE BIRSELON THE ROADS-AYSE BIRSEL
ON THE ROADS-AYSE BIRSEL
 
The elements of product success for designers and developers
The elements of product success for designers and developersThe elements of product success for designers and developers
The elements of product success for designers and developers
 
BP_Ultimate_STEM_Challenge_Presentation.pptx
BP_Ultimate_STEM_Challenge_Presentation.pptxBP_Ultimate_STEM_Challenge_Presentation.pptx
BP_Ultimate_STEM_Challenge_Presentation.pptx
 
Pair Design
Pair DesignPair Design
Pair Design
 
Pair Design: How to Mind-Meld for Ideation
Pair Design: How to Mind-Meld for IdeationPair Design: How to Mind-Meld for Ideation
Pair Design: How to Mind-Meld for Ideation
 
15 research debrief
15 research debrief15 research debrief
15 research debrief
 
Monday Night, March 3rd, Visual Rhetoric
Monday Night, March 3rd, Visual RhetoricMonday Night, March 3rd, Visual Rhetoric
Monday Night, March 3rd, Visual Rhetoric
 
Visual Thinking: Working with Pictures
Visual Thinking: Working with PicturesVisual Thinking: Working with Pictures
Visual Thinking: Working with Pictures
 
Startup Weekend - Interviewing Customers
Startup Weekend - Interviewing CustomersStartup Weekend - Interviewing Customers
Startup Weekend - Interviewing Customers
 
Developers, you're designing experiences (and you didn't even know it)
Developers, you're designing experiences (and you didn't even know it)Developers, you're designing experiences (and you didn't even know it)
Developers, you're designing experiences (and you didn't even know it)
 
Empathy for Engineers
Empathy for EngineersEmpathy for Engineers
Empathy for Engineers
 
Inclusive Design: A Path to Innovation
Inclusive Design: A Path to InnovationInclusive Design: A Path to Innovation
Inclusive Design: A Path to Innovation
 
Design the future of the Australian Web Industry with Design Thinking
Design the future of the Australian Web Industry with Design ThinkingDesign the future of the Australian Web Industry with Design Thinking
Design the future of the Australian Web Industry with Design Thinking
 
Design Thinking by Mark Uraine
Design Thinking by Mark UraineDesign Thinking by Mark Uraine
Design Thinking by Mark Uraine
 

More from Bill DeRouchey

Design Careers in the Science Fiction Future
Design Careers in the Science Fiction FutureDesign Careers in the Science Fiction Future
Design Careers in the Science Fiction FutureBill DeRouchey
 
Chart Your Path to Product Leadership
Chart Your Path to Product LeadershipChart Your Path to Product Leadership
Chart Your Path to Product LeadershipBill DeRouchey
 
Designing Humanity into Your Products
Designing Humanity into Your ProductsDesigning Humanity into Your Products
Designing Humanity into Your ProductsBill DeRouchey
 
Language of Interaction IDEA08
Language of Interaction IDEA08Language of Interaction IDEA08
Language of Interaction IDEA08Bill DeRouchey
 
The Language of Interaction
The Language of InteractionThe Language of Interaction
The Language of InteractionBill DeRouchey
 
Conversations With Everyday Objects
Conversations With Everyday ObjectsConversations With Everyday Objects
Conversations With Everyday ObjectsBill DeRouchey
 
Learning IxD From Everyday Objects
Learning IxD From Everyday ObjectsLearning IxD From Everyday Objects
Learning IxD From Everyday ObjectsBill DeRouchey
 

More from Bill DeRouchey (9)

Design Careers in the Science Fiction Future
Design Careers in the Science Fiction FutureDesign Careers in the Science Fiction Future
Design Careers in the Science Fiction Future
 
Chart Your Path to Product Leadership
Chart Your Path to Product LeadershipChart Your Path to Product Leadership
Chart Your Path to Product Leadership
 
History of the Button
History of the ButtonHistory of the Button
History of the Button
 
Designing Humanity into Your Products
Designing Humanity into Your ProductsDesigning Humanity into Your Products
Designing Humanity into Your Products
 
Language of Interaction IDEA08
Language of Interaction IDEA08Language of Interaction IDEA08
Language of Interaction IDEA08
 
The Language of Interaction
The Language of InteractionThe Language of Interaction
The Language of Interaction
 
Conversations With Everyday Objects
Conversations With Everyday ObjectsConversations With Everyday Objects
Conversations With Everyday Objects
 
History of the Button
History of the ButtonHistory of the Button
History of the Button
 
Learning IxD From Everyday Objects
Learning IxD From Everyday ObjectsLearning IxD From Everyday Objects
Learning IxD From Everyday Objects
 

Recently uploaded

How to use Ai for UX UI Design | ChatGPT
How to use Ai for UX UI Design | ChatGPTHow to use Ai for UX UI Design | ChatGPT
How to use Ai for UX UI Design | ChatGPTThink 360 Studio
 
Introduce Trauma-Informed Design to Your Organization - CSUN ATC 2024
Introduce Trauma-Informed Design to Your Organization - CSUN ATC 2024Introduce Trauma-Informed Design to Your Organization - CSUN ATC 2024
Introduce Trauma-Informed Design to Your Organization - CSUN ATC 2024Ted Drake
 
Math Group 3 Presentation OLOLOLOLILOOLLOLOL
Math Group 3 Presentation OLOLOLOLILOOLLOLOLMath Group 3 Presentation OLOLOLOLILOOLLOLOL
Math Group 3 Presentation OLOLOLOLILOOLLOLOLkenzukiri
 
Create Funeral Invites Online @ feedvu.com
Create Funeral Invites Online @ feedvu.comCreate Funeral Invites Online @ feedvu.com
Create Funeral Invites Online @ feedvu.comjakyjhon00
 
WCM Branding Agency | 210519 - Portfolio Review (F&B) -s.pptx
WCM Branding Agency | 210519 - Portfolio Review (F&B) -s.pptxWCM Branding Agency | 210519 - Portfolio Review (F&B) -s.pptx
WCM Branding Agency | 210519 - Portfolio Review (F&B) -s.pptxHasan S
 
Design mental models for managing large-scale dbt projects. March 21, 2024 in...
Design mental models for managing large-scale dbt projects. March 21, 2024 in...Design mental models for managing large-scale dbt projects. March 21, 2024 in...
Design mental models for managing large-scale dbt projects. March 21, 2024 in...Ed Orozco
 
Best-NO1 Pakistani Amil Baba Real Amil baba In Pakistan Najoomi Baba in Pakis...
Best-NO1 Pakistani Amil Baba Real Amil baba In Pakistan Najoomi Baba in Pakis...Best-NO1 Pakistani Amil Baba Real Amil baba In Pakistan Najoomi Baba in Pakis...
Best-NO1 Pakistani Amil Baba Real Amil baba In Pakistan Najoomi Baba in Pakis...Amil baba
 
High-Quality Faux Embroidery Services | Cre8iveSkill
High-Quality Faux Embroidery Services | Cre8iveSkillHigh-Quality Faux Embroidery Services | Cre8iveSkill
High-Quality Faux Embroidery Services | Cre8iveSkillCre8iveskill
 
UX Conference on UX Research Trends in 2024
UX Conference on UX Research Trends in 2024UX Conference on UX Research Trends in 2024
UX Conference on UX Research Trends in 2024mikailaoh
 
Cold War Tensions Increase - 1945-1952.pptx
Cold War Tensions Increase - 1945-1952.pptxCold War Tensions Increase - 1945-1952.pptx
Cold War Tensions Increase - 1945-1952.pptxSamKuruvilla5
 
Designing for privacy: 3 essential UX habits for product teams
Designing for privacy: 3 essential UX habits for product teamsDesigning for privacy: 3 essential UX habits for product teams
Designing for privacy: 3 essential UX habits for product teamsBlock Party
 
Embroidery design from embroidery magazine
Embroidery design from embroidery magazineEmbroidery design from embroidery magazine
Embroidery design from embroidery magazineRivanEleraki
 
Building+your+Data+Project+on+AWS+-+Luke+Anderson.pdf
Building+your+Data+Project+on+AWS+-+Luke+Anderson.pdfBuilding+your+Data+Project+on+AWS+-+Luke+Anderson.pdf
Building+your+Data+Project+on+AWS+-+Luke+Anderson.pdfsaidbilgen
 
Mike Tyson Sign The Contract Big Boy Shirt
Mike Tyson Sign The Contract Big Boy ShirtMike Tyson Sign The Contract Big Boy Shirt
Mike Tyson Sign The Contract Big Boy ShirtTeeFusion
 
Khushi sharma undergraduate portfolio...
Khushi sharma undergraduate portfolio...Khushi sharma undergraduate portfolio...
Khushi sharma undergraduate portfolio...khushisharma298853
 
LRFD Bridge Design Specifications-AASHTO (2014).pdf
LRFD Bridge Design Specifications-AASHTO (2014).pdfLRFD Bridge Design Specifications-AASHTO (2014).pdf
LRFD Bridge Design Specifications-AASHTO (2014).pdfHctorFranciscoSnchez1
 
Construction Documents Checklist before Construction
Construction Documents Checklist before ConstructionConstruction Documents Checklist before Construction
Construction Documents Checklist before ConstructionResDraft
 
The future of UX design support tools - talk Paris March 2024
The future of UX design support tools - talk Paris March 2024The future of UX design support tools - talk Paris March 2024
The future of UX design support tools - talk Paris March 2024Alan Dix
 
Production of Erythromycin microbiology.pptx
Production of Erythromycin microbiology.pptxProduction of Erythromycin microbiology.pptx
Production of Erythromycin microbiology.pptxb2kshani34
 

Recently uploaded (19)

How to use Ai for UX UI Design | ChatGPT
How to use Ai for UX UI Design | ChatGPTHow to use Ai for UX UI Design | ChatGPT
How to use Ai for UX UI Design | ChatGPT
 
Introduce Trauma-Informed Design to Your Organization - CSUN ATC 2024
Introduce Trauma-Informed Design to Your Organization - CSUN ATC 2024Introduce Trauma-Informed Design to Your Organization - CSUN ATC 2024
Introduce Trauma-Informed Design to Your Organization - CSUN ATC 2024
 
Math Group 3 Presentation OLOLOLOLILOOLLOLOL
Math Group 3 Presentation OLOLOLOLILOOLLOLOLMath Group 3 Presentation OLOLOLOLILOOLLOLOL
Math Group 3 Presentation OLOLOLOLILOOLLOLOL
 
Create Funeral Invites Online @ feedvu.com
Create Funeral Invites Online @ feedvu.comCreate Funeral Invites Online @ feedvu.com
Create Funeral Invites Online @ feedvu.com
 
WCM Branding Agency | 210519 - Portfolio Review (F&B) -s.pptx
WCM Branding Agency | 210519 - Portfolio Review (F&B) -s.pptxWCM Branding Agency | 210519 - Portfolio Review (F&B) -s.pptx
WCM Branding Agency | 210519 - Portfolio Review (F&B) -s.pptx
 
Design mental models for managing large-scale dbt projects. March 21, 2024 in...
Design mental models for managing large-scale dbt projects. March 21, 2024 in...Design mental models for managing large-scale dbt projects. March 21, 2024 in...
Design mental models for managing large-scale dbt projects. March 21, 2024 in...
 
Best-NO1 Pakistani Amil Baba Real Amil baba In Pakistan Najoomi Baba in Pakis...
Best-NO1 Pakistani Amil Baba Real Amil baba In Pakistan Najoomi Baba in Pakis...Best-NO1 Pakistani Amil Baba Real Amil baba In Pakistan Najoomi Baba in Pakis...
Best-NO1 Pakistani Amil Baba Real Amil baba In Pakistan Najoomi Baba in Pakis...
 
High-Quality Faux Embroidery Services | Cre8iveSkill
High-Quality Faux Embroidery Services | Cre8iveSkillHigh-Quality Faux Embroidery Services | Cre8iveSkill
High-Quality Faux Embroidery Services | Cre8iveSkill
 
UX Conference on UX Research Trends in 2024
UX Conference on UX Research Trends in 2024UX Conference on UX Research Trends in 2024
UX Conference on UX Research Trends in 2024
 
Cold War Tensions Increase - 1945-1952.pptx
Cold War Tensions Increase - 1945-1952.pptxCold War Tensions Increase - 1945-1952.pptx
Cold War Tensions Increase - 1945-1952.pptx
 
Designing for privacy: 3 essential UX habits for product teams
Designing for privacy: 3 essential UX habits for product teamsDesigning for privacy: 3 essential UX habits for product teams
Designing for privacy: 3 essential UX habits for product teams
 
Embroidery design from embroidery magazine
Embroidery design from embroidery magazineEmbroidery design from embroidery magazine
Embroidery design from embroidery magazine
 
Building+your+Data+Project+on+AWS+-+Luke+Anderson.pdf
Building+your+Data+Project+on+AWS+-+Luke+Anderson.pdfBuilding+your+Data+Project+on+AWS+-+Luke+Anderson.pdf
Building+your+Data+Project+on+AWS+-+Luke+Anderson.pdf
 
Mike Tyson Sign The Contract Big Boy Shirt
Mike Tyson Sign The Contract Big Boy ShirtMike Tyson Sign The Contract Big Boy Shirt
Mike Tyson Sign The Contract Big Boy Shirt
 
Khushi sharma undergraduate portfolio...
Khushi sharma undergraduate portfolio...Khushi sharma undergraduate portfolio...
Khushi sharma undergraduate portfolio...
 
LRFD Bridge Design Specifications-AASHTO (2014).pdf
LRFD Bridge Design Specifications-AASHTO (2014).pdfLRFD Bridge Design Specifications-AASHTO (2014).pdf
LRFD Bridge Design Specifications-AASHTO (2014).pdf
 
Construction Documents Checklist before Construction
Construction Documents Checklist before ConstructionConstruction Documents Checklist before Construction
Construction Documents Checklist before Construction
 
The future of UX design support tools - talk Paris March 2024
The future of UX design support tools - talk Paris March 2024The future of UX design support tools - talk Paris March 2024
The future of UX design support tools - talk Paris March 2024
 
Production of Erythromycin microbiology.pptx
Production of Erythromycin microbiology.pptxProduction of Erythromycin microbiology.pptx
Production of Erythromycin microbiology.pptx
 

Power of Why

  • 1. The Power of Why ? Note: This is a combination of three talks I gave in a three week span in Aug/Sep 2012: - UX Week (San Francisco) - UX Australia (Brisbane) - RMIT (Melbourne) Naturally, this talk evolved in between each run. This version combines all three. The live presentation uses a lot of animations to augment the story. Since animations don’t translate to PDF, this version attempts to recreate the essence of the live version with static screens. Boxes like this include things I said, but didn’t appear in the live versions. Bill DeRouchey Consider them as speaker notes or talking points. I’d love to keep expanding on this, so Aug/Sep 2012 @billder please send any feedback to billder@gmail.com. Thanks!
  • 2. wh Today we’re going to talk about that deep probing question, Why?, and how it relates to our careers as designers.
  • 3. We are all quite Lucky. First, let’s take a step back to acknowledge that all of us in this room are incredibly lucky to have the career that we do. The world of design and user experience is an incredible profession to be a part of.
  • 4. Our job is to talk to people. It’s our job to talk to people, to understand what they do and how they live. We get to go out, meet strangers, and simply learn from about subjects that we often don’t know much about. flickr : kunchia
  • 5. And ask them questions. We even get to go outdoors sometimes. Propose ideas to people. Ask them questions. Get their feedback. Invite people to partake of the design process, even if it’s just fifteen minutes at a time. flickr : kunchia
  • 6. And then make things for them. And then we get to go back to the office and make things for them. Hopefully help out their lives somehow. Ease some burden or just make something better. Studio Neat : Cosmonaut
  • 7. But we have a Problem. But we’re faced with massive undercurrent of the relentless pace of technology. Keeping up with everything keeps getting harder and harder.
  • 8. How can we plan our Careers ? The result is that it makes it really difficult to plan out our careers. Looking ahead to plot a career may even be an antiquated We can’t. notion. Mine has definitely been one step at a time. But there’s something to be said for having some sort of direction as we go ahead in life.
  • 9. 1967 1977 1987 2012 Let’s look at this from the long view. We’re here in 2012. Suppose you’re 25, 35, 45 years old. Maybe even a bit more.
  • 10. 1967 1977 1987 1997 2007 2012 2017 2027 2037 2047 2057 And based on good medicine and exercise (right?), we’re all going to be at least 90 years old. Congratulations! Your career will span these years if you’re 25, 35 or 45. Notice how quickly 2047 comes along.
  • 11. 1967 1977 1987 1997 2007 2012 2017 2027 2037 2047 2057 touch web Let’s look at the rapid tech evolution. The web has only been around for this long. Widespread use of touch, even less time. The iPhone only came out five years ago. Five. Years. Ago.
  • 12. 1967 1977 1987 1997 2007 2012 2017 2027 2037 2047 2057 ? flexible neural displays? implants? touch dynamic webweb the surfaces? So what technologies do we have to adapt our design skills to next? How can we continually drive toward something while we’re continually learning about the mediums we have to design with and for?
  • 13. Luckily, there is one Constant. Fortunately, beside all this technology churn, there is one skill that we can work on throughout our careers. At least one constant that will serve us well at any age, and in any situation.
  • 14. Simply asking Why ? The ability to simply ask Why? To ask a probing, yet reasonable and calm, Why? In any situation.
  • 15. Why does that happen ? Suppose you’re analyzing the action and feedback of a product and it does something unexpected. Why did that happen? What drove that design decision?
  • 16. Why is that the plan ? Suppose you’re in a business that has a deadline to ship on a certain date, despite pressure that it’s a bad date. Why is that the plan? What’s driving that business decision?
  • 17. Why is that the way ? Suppose you’re in a business that has a certain method for doing things, and it no longer works. Why is this the way we do things? Why did it make sense then, but not now?
  • 18. Why did you do that ? Suppose you’re out in the field observing someone during some primary research. They hold a thing, or do things in an interesting order, or make an unexpected choice. Why did you do that? Tell me more about how you made that choice, or were you even aware of it?
  • 19. Why do you believe that ? Suppose somebody uses an interesting word that reveals how they think about something. That’s an interesting phrase. Does that mean you think this? Why do you believe that?
  • 20. Why What How/Much Who When Where These are the questions that set us apart. These are the words that help us uncover the truth, that help us understand the world around us. And I think it’s these concepts that separate us from the other creatures on the planet. “I think.”
  • 21. Why What How/Much Who When Where = Being Human
  • 22. Let’s look at this another way. A common framework for looking at projects is What, How, Why. What you are working on. How you are working on it. Why you are working on it. In theory, the Why is the core and changes the least often. How you achieve that vision may change a bit more. And What the work entails will change the most rapidly. What How Why
  • 23. Scott Sinek calls this the Golden Circle. He says that people who focus on Why something should happen tend to have the best success in getting things done, because they have the vision and can communicate it. What How Why
  • 24. It is our job to create a Conversation. So let’s dig more into what it is to ask the question Why? It’s our job as UX people to have conversations with people. They may be research participants, co-workers, or other partners. But as we need to learn from others and craft solutions, part of that is simply have a productive conversation with somebody.
  • 25. We often have to ask hard Questions. But in our quest to learn about how things can be better, different, or improved, we often have to ask people questions they don’t normally hear. We often have to ask them questions about Why they do/think/believe various things. We have to probe.
  • 26. Why? digs under the Surface. These aren’t your everyday questions. These are questions that dig below the surface of everyday activity. These are questions that dig into the layers under behavior and sometimes into the subconscious.
  • 27. And this can be Tricky. And these are delicate conversations. These are questions that require people to step outside themselves to assess what they are doing or thinking. And sometimes with a stranger filming them and somebody else taking notes. No pressure at all!
  • 28. People can get Weird. Not everybody is up for being placed in this tricky situation. They may put up their barriers and get weird somehow. Defensive. Unsure. Flippant. In short, they don’t respond to you in an open manner because they feel threatened in some way.
  • 29. Uneasy Unsure Flustered Flippant Defensive Agitated Territorial Confused Uncomfortable Distracted
  • 30. Problems arise when Who = Why And this is because some people tie what they believe in with who they are, their identity. When you question what they do or how they think, you are questioning them as a person. No wonder some people get defensive. It’s because they believe you’re attacking them. And of course, you’re not.
  • 31. Who ≠ Why So we need to break the bond between Who and Why. How?
  • 32. Compassion Curiosity and With compassion and curiosity. These will help you to reach people so that you can learn what you need to learn.
  • 33. First, Compassion. What better living embodiment of compassion then the Dalai Lama? A man who simply travels the world trying to get people to be nicer to themselves so they can be nicer to others. Compassion davechan.ca
  • 34. It is not just about Empathy. Many people say that designers need empathy, and I agree. But is it enough? Can we be truly feel what another person is feeling? If I’m interviewing a surgeon, a social worker or a mom, I can intellectually identify with their feelings, but never at a real gut level.
  • 35. Empathy first requires Compassion. So we need to push ourselves a little harder. We need to reach out to the participant, the co-worker, the partner to really want to help them. Compassion is the alleviation of someone else’s suffering. Which not coincidentally, sounds a little bit like design itself.
  • 36. Compassion “ If you approach others with the thought of compassion, that will automatically reduce fear and allow an openness with other people.” Reducing someone’s fear can open them up.
  • 37. Curiosity The other thing that designers need to reach people with is Curiosity. We’ve all been around two- and three-year olds and witnessed their insatiable need to know Why the world works the way it does. Why is the sky blue? Why do we need money? Why does Darth Vader always wear a helmet? flickr : kristaphoto
  • 38. It is the eternal Unfolding. Asking Why? helps us to continually understand the world around us, to unfold the hidden aspects of our world. Since it’s impossible to know everything, it’s 100% possible to keep learning.
  • 39. It is the essence of Why? And curiosity is of course the essence of Why? It’s that desire to learn about something you don’t know, to expand your knowledge about something.
  • 40. And it requires Tenacity. And curiosity for designers requires the tenacity of a three-year old. The neverending drive to want to learn more about the subject at hand.
  • 41. Curiosity You will fly to another planet, parachute into the thin atmosphere, and drop yourself by a sky crane just to go look at rocks. What better role model for curiosity than Curiosity?
  • 42. On one side, compassion for the people that we need to have hard conversations with. On the other, tenacious curiosity to understand and build. Those are both necessary components for designing. THIS IS DESIGN
  • 43. I want to see you right in the middle, employing both compassion and curiosity. YOU Compassion Curiosity
  • 44. Now if you slightly twist these words, you get Genuine Interest. And that’s what you need to really reach people. Simply display genuine interest in what they have to say, because people can sense fake interest. YOU Genuine Interest
  • 45. Ok, let’s say you’ve spent some time practicing how to ask Why? with compassion and curiosity... now what? You can now look at three different levels you can focus your Why skills on: individuals, organizations, and the world. Why? a Person an Org the World
  • 46. Let’s start with people. Most of this talk has already been discussing one-on-one conversations, so I won’t belabor this point too much. Why? a Person
  • 47. But simply having and displaying genuine interest in what somebody has to say is the best way to reach somebody, the best way to have a conversation that probes into what they do and think. People will tell you their life story if they think you want to hear it. flickr : halfchinese PEOPLE
  • 48. Now let’s step it up a level and talk about groups of people, and that usually means.... Why? an Organization
  • 49. When your design problem becomes the business itself. BUSINESS!
  • 50. Why? exposes the Ruts & Habits. Too often, businesses fall into habits into the way they do things. They drop into ruts they can’t escape. Why? can expose the assumptions behind them, can shine light on decisions that made sense months or years ago, but maybe not now. You have the skills to probe into business decisions to understand why things happen.
  • 51. It reveals absurdity of BECAUSE I SAID SO. Asking Why? often times will also bubble up to somebody simply saying “because I said so” without any backup of reasoning or logical thought. Gut is one thing, but if you can’t articulate anything beyond “because”, then you have a problem. A good designer can probe here to surface that.
  • 52. And then at some point... Why ? Why! And then at some point in your career, the skills you’ve developed in having conversations with people leads you to developing skills in articulating ideas.
  • 53. You learned to Distill. Because you’ve learned how to distill many different data points or discussions into a single concept, framework or model.
  • 54. You learned to Communicate. You’ve learned to develop ways to communicate what you’ve distilled, whether it be prototypes, words, diagrams or images.
  • 55. You are asked to Explain. And your co-workers and colleagues recognize this and look to you as the one who can explain things.
  • 56. Your job then becomes to Evangelize. You become the champion of ideas because you’ve learned to talk to people, pose questions, distill your findings, and communicate them.
  • 57. You have the tools to say This is WHY! You’ve built up a skill set that can say Why something should happen because you can back it up with observations, thought, and rationale.
  • 58. This is driving the trend of UX Product. And this is what I believe is behind the trend of UX people becoming product managers. Because they’ve developed the skills to understand people and create ideas appropriate to them. They’ve learned how to be advocates for people, not just business plans.
  • 59. Then you get the itch to Go Bigger. And then at some point in your career, you may get that burn to try out your skills on even bigger problems.
  • 60. And that means looking at the big world around you. Why? in the World
  • 61. And that means the big institutions of our lives. INSTITUTIONS!
  • 62. The really big things that Food Water we’ve built up that all have massive problems that need fixing. Massive. Problems. Energy Science Banking Social Care Education Health Care Insurance Government Transportation Environment
  • 63. These are the BIGGEST design Problems. The great thing is, we can apply our design thinking to these problems. They’re just bigger, harder, more intransigent, and ultimately, more worthwhile in the long run to tackle.
  • 64. Use your ability to ask Why to Go Fix Them. Because in the end, somebody has to break through this mess we’ve created for ourselves. Why shouldn’t it be the designers of the world who conceive of new ways to live and work and be human? Isn’t that what we do?
  • 65. Live to be at least 90 years old. Practice asking Why? Really connect with people. With Compassion. With Curiosity. Question everything, small and big. And then go redesign it all. In summary...
  • 66. Thank you. Bill DeRouchey What’s Aug/Sep 2012 @billder stopping you?