Ego vs. Empathy - the challenges of a UX designer

Ego vs. Empathy Challenges of a UX designer Ego vs. Empathy

My battle

My battle Industrial Interaction Management UX UX Experience designer Designer / UX Consultant Architect Director consultant University In-house Management User-Centred Europe’s Multi- consultancy Design biggest disciplinary consultancy digital brand and agency comms agency

My battle Industrial Interaction Management UX UX Experience designer Designer / UX Consultant Architect Director consultant University In-house Management User-Centred Europe’s Multi- consultancy Design biggest disciplinary consultancy digital brand and agency comms agency My Internal Evangelising Evangelisin Fighting a Evangelisin inabilities politics design and g design marketing g user to make user and and experience things with experience business creative to the my hands uprising brand and marketing old school

My battle Industrial Interaction Management UX UX Experience designer Designer / UX Consultant Architect Director consultant University In-house Management User-Centred Europe’s Multi- consultancy Design biggest disciplinary consultancy digital brand and agency comms agency My Internal Evangelising Evangelisin Fighting a Evangelisin inabilities politics design and g design marketing g user to make user and and experience things with experience business creative to the my hands uprising brand and marketing old school But what makes the best designs?

My battle Industrial Interaction Management UX UX Experience designer Designer / UX Consultant Architect Director consultant University In-house Management User-Centred Europe’s Multi- consultancy Design biggest disciplinary consultancy digital brand and agency comms agency My Internal Evangelising Evangelisin Fighting a Evangelisin inabilities politics design and g design marketing g user to make user and and experience things with experience business creative to the my hands uprising brand and marketing old school But what makes the best designs? Ego or Empathy?

Ego Empathy

Conﬁdent Decisive Convincing Visionary Pride Ego Empathy

Conﬁdent Reassured Decisive Safe Convincing Team Visionary Altruism Pride Mediating Ego Empathy

Confident Reassured Decisive Safe Convincing Team Visionary Altruism Pride Mediating Ego Empathy Disruptive Difficult Arrogant Selfish

Confident Reassured Decisive Safe Convincing Team Visionary Altruism Pride Mediating Ego Empathy Disruptive Indecisive Difficult Soft Arrogant Weak Selfish Slow

Confident Reassured Decisive Safe Convincing Team Visionary Altruism Pride Mediating Experience Self-confidence Ego Empathy Expertise Disruptive Indecisive Difficult Soft Arrogant Weak Selfish Slow

Confident Reassured Decisive Safe Convincing Team Visionary Altruism Pride Mediating Experience Consultation Self-confidence Ego Empathy Wanting to be liked Expertise Disruptive Indecisive Care factor Difficult Soft Arrogant Weak Selfish Slow

Ego Empathy

Genius Advertising Product Open Co-design User design design source Research Ego Empathy

Ross Norman Steve Dieter James Jakob Lovegrove Foster Jobs Rams Dyson Nielsen Genius Advertising Product Open Co-design User design design source Research Ego Empathy

Ross Norman Steve Dieter James Jakob Lovegrove Foster Jobs Rams Dyson Nielsen Genius Advertising Product Open Co-design User design design source Research Ego Empathy House Izzie

Ross Norman Steve Dieter James Jakob Lovegrove Foster Jobs Rams Dyson Nielsen Genius Advertising Product Open Co-design User design design source Research Ego Empathy House Izzie R2D2 Darth Vader Hans Solo

Ross Norman Steve Dieter James Jakob Lovegrove Foster Jobs Rams Dyson Nielsen Genius Advertising Product Open Co-design User design design source Research Ego Empathy House Izzie R2D2 Darth Vader Hans Solo Lex Luther Superman

A typical UCD approach? Understand Model and Prototype Design + spec current state Prototype Detail Detail, QA build Concepts A B Expert review Personas Interactive prototypes Wireframe Usability review Scenarios Visual design Specification Competitor/comparator Sketches and scamps QA build review Wireframes User needs Sitemap Paper prototypes Co-design Concept test

Grow some balls Get from A-to-B via Z Take risks Put your neck on the line Stand your ground Think beyond current capabilities Do something that makes you proud

A B

AB

AB ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Ego Empathy

Feed and follow your gut

Feed and follow your gut Build up your experience, expertise and conﬁdence Get into design research Read up on others’ research Test different design approaches Find our what works for you Understand the problem as much as possible

Feed and follow your gut Make quick decisions based on your gut instinct Be prepared to make mistakes Bounce back from failure Speak with conviction

Balance your empathy

Balance your empathy Business Good design Users Technology

Career Fun Cost- effectivenes s Keeping job Proﬁts Learning Control Good cv Understand business people

Challenges .Net or Open Java - source or rarely not both Getting a good day rate Peer respec Learning t something new Understand developers

Fun Awards Aesthetics Peer respect Craft Pride Portfolio Understand visual designers

Fun Craft Community Career Work/ life Self- worth ?? Understand yourself

Grow some balls Feed and follow your gut Balance your empathy

But above all...

But above all... Balance your ego and your empathy

But above all... Balance your ego and your empathy I believe

Ego vs. Empathy - the challenges of a UX designer

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