Sparking Creativity Through Empathy

Mental Models Sparking Creativity Through Empathy Indi Young

What does Why would it look like? I use one? Can it resolve What is a some of the mental problems my model? team has? How can I This stuff use one to is intuitive, innovate? isn’t it? How do mental Empathy is models fit with for Betazoids, agile principles? right? What do I Can I do put in a this by model? How do I decide myself? to make a model, or not?

What is a mental model? What is a mental model? Underlying reasons that drive people's behavior Ways you support people with your product

What is a mental model? What does a mental model look like?

What is a mental model? Courtesy of Mary Piontkowski, for Macy’s

What is a mental model? Courtesy of Richard Dalton, Vanguard

What is a mental model? http://www.adaptivepath.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/management_diagram.pdf

What is a mental model?

What is a mental model? Behavior, Philosophy, Feeling

What is a mental model? (a.k.a. “Tower”) Conceptual Group

Who is America’s top mental model? Mental Space

What is a mental model? Ways to support this tower

What is a mental model? Interviews Customer Feedback Diaries Field Data Voice of the Call Center Customer Recordings Card Sort Data

What is a mental model?

Why would I use a mental model? Why would I use a mental model? Ulterior Motives

Why would I use a mental model? Show people they need to develop separate applications

Why would I use a mental model?

Why would I use a mental model? Actually get to the things slated for the mythical Phase 2

Why would I use a mental model? Image courtesy of Chiara Fox

Why would I use a mental model? Focus on customers, not internal organizations/categories

Why would I use a mental model? Courtesy of WayBackMachine.org

Why would I use a mental model? www.dowcorning.com

Why would I use a mental model? Get rid of stuff that doesn’t help

Why would I use a mental model? Interactions, Jan+Feb 2008, “The Business of Customer Experience: Lessons Learned at Wells Fargo” by Secil Watson

Why would I use a mental model? Give stakeholders something that feels actionable

Why would I use a mental model? Photo from Ernie (Ann Arbor, MI) Flickr photostream (EAHIV)

Why would I use a mental model?

Can it resolve some of the problems my team has? Can it resolve some of the problems my team has? We struggle to agree on a common design (everyone has a different opinion)

Can it resolve some of the problems my team has? We have difficulty taking off our employee hat Our customers need to … um … increase satisfaction scores. Images from Flickr by Akira Ohgaki

Can it resolve some of the problems my team has? We cross our fingers that the design will be successful Images from Flickr by poluz

Can it resolve some of the problems my team has? We worry we might have missed some part of the “whole user experience” Images from Flickr by reutC

Can it resolve some of the problems my team has? We wish we could attract loyal, adoring fans Images from Flickr by JL!

This stuff is intuitive, isn’t it? This stuff is intuitive, isn’t it?

This stuff is intuitive, isn’t it? Data exploration by Stamen Design – stamen.com, available at http://www.mysociety.org/2007/more-travel-maps/

This stuff is intuitive, isn’t it?

Empathy is for Betazoids, right? Empathy is for Betazoids, right?

Empathy is for Betazoids, right? Hear Stories Feel Empathy Know How to Support People

Empathy is for Betazoids, right?

Empathy is for Betazoids, right? Figure Out How to Handle an Attraction

Empathy is for Betazoids, right? Get a Better Sense of a Person

Empathy is for Betazoids, right? Go Out With a Person for the First Time

Empathy is for Betazoids, right? Find People

How do I decide to make a mental model, or not? How do I decide to make a mental model, or not?

How do I decide to make a mental model, or not? Techniques Uses Preference Survey Visual Design Opinions, likes, desires Focus Group Branding Mood Board Market Analysis Customer Feedback Advertising Campaign Preference Interview Card Sort Evaluative Usability Test Test Interaction What is understood or Log Analysis Functionality accomplished with a tool Search Analytics Test Screen Layout Customer Feedback Test Nomenclature Card Sort Test IA Generative Non-Directed Interview Interaction Design Mental environment in which Contextual Inquiry Information Architecture things get done Mental Model Alignment & Gap Analysis Ethnography Contextual Information Field Study Diary

How do I decide to make a mental model, or not? Mental Models Are Not Used For: • Evaluating usability • Showing cyclic relationships • Depicting detailed process flow • Creating art (composing, painting …)

What do I put in a mental model? What do I put in a mental model? Behavior Direct Philosophy Implied Feeling Third Party

What do I put in a mental model?

What do I put in a mental model? Photos on Flickr by counterclockwise, Mussels, cackhanded, and Andrew Feinberg

What do I put in a mental model?

What do I put in a mental model? The Hallway Test What is she thinking while walking down the hallway? Photo by yksin at Flickr

How can I do this by myself? How can I do this by myself?

How can I do this by myself? Yak, yak, yak, yak, yak. Rough Sketch Yak, yak, yak, yak, yak. Yak, yak, yak, yak, yak.

How can I do this by myself? Runners Mental Model

How can I do this by myself?

How can I do this by myself? Ascending tone Start Descending tone Stop

How can I do this by myself? LED lit when stopwatch on

How can I do this by myself?

How can I do this by myself? Rough Draft 1 Day, 1 Conference Room, Lots of Coffee & Chocolate

How can I do this by myself? Rough Notes

How can I do this by myself? Fly Under the Radar

How can I do this by myself? Piggyback on Other Research Usability Testing

How do mental models fit with agile principles? How do mental models fit with agile principles? 1. Synchronize UX with development 2. Separate modeling from design 3. Increase design literacy 4. Design on the whiteboard with developers, stakeholders 5. Strip documentation down to just the new ideas and the “easily forgotten” ideas 6. Book your time the way the developers do Austin Govella, Comcast Interactive Media IA & Usability - http://www.thinkingandmaking.com/view/agile-ux-six

How do mental models fit with agile principles?

How can I use a mental model to innovate? How can I use a mental model to innovate?

How can I use a mental model to innovate? Innovation Is: not forced understandable change ! crafting details focus on people long term

How can I use a mental model to innovate? Look at the Mental Model for Possibilities 1. Find a Gap Below the Line to Fill 2. Look for Scarce or Weak Support 3. Redefine & Augment Existing Features to Better Match 4. Combine Related Behaviors & Features 5. Look for Surprises 6. Look for Emotions 7. Examine Spaces Formerly Crossed Out 8. Rethink Features that Don’t Match a Behavior 9. Map Out Delivery of Products Over Time

How can I use a mental model to innovate? Identify with a Film

How can I use a mental model to innovate? Follow the Industry

How can I use a mental model to innovate? Releases Earnings Press

How can I use a mental model to innovate? Airplane II Releases 1982 25-Jun – Theater Release 1992 11-Sep – Director’s Cut Release Barbarosa 2007 29-Sep – Final Cut Release 2007 05-Dec – DVD Release Cat People Earnings Press Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid

How can I use a mental model to innovate? 1. Synchronize UX with development 2. Separate modeling from design 3. Increase design literacy 4. Design on the whiteboard with developers, stakeholders 5. Strip documentation down to just the new ideas and the “easily forgotten” ideas 6. Book your time the way the developers do Austin Govella, Comcast Interactive Media IA & Usability - http://www.thinkingandmaking.com/view/agile-ux-six

How can I use a mental model to innovate?

How can I use a mental model to innovate? 1. Synchronize UX with development 2. Separate modeling from design 3. Increase design literacy 4. Design on the whiteboard with developers, stakeholders 5. Strip documentation down to just the new ideas and the “easily forgotten” ideas 6. Book your time the way the developers do Austin Govella, Comcast Interactive Media IA & Usability - http://www.thinkingandmaking.com/view/agile-ux-six

How can I use a mental model to innovate?

How can I use a mental model to innovate? Airplane II Releases 1982 25-Jun – Theater Release 1992 11-Sep – Director’s Cut Release Barbarosa 2007 29-Sep – Final Cut Release 2007 05-Dec – DVD Release Cat People Earnings Press Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid

Book: Mental Models Code: ATMEDIA (10% discount) Blog: www.rosenfeldmedia.com/books/mental-models/ RSS: feeds.rosenfeldmedia.com/mental-models/ Me: indi@acm.org

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Sparking Creativity Through Empathy

by Indi Young on Jun 24, 2008

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