The document discusses techniques for non-empathizers to better understand users through a more systematic approach. It recommends observing users without interpreting, assembling user data in a way that explores themes, creating user descriptions from the data rather than opinions, tying designs to user pain points, and verifying designs with tests. Pairing systemizers with empathizers is also suggested.

1. Linking
UX
Ideas
for
an
Aha
Moment
from
Non-­‐Empathizers
Chris
Nodder
@UXgrump

2. Borat
promo?onal
material

3. Wikimedia

4. Empathizing-­‐systemizing
theory
Female
Male
Scientists
Engineers Autism
Systemizing Quotient (SQ)
Empathizing Quotient (EQ)
Simon Baron-Cohen (2003) “The Essential Difference” NY: Basic Books
William Hudson “Reduced empathizing skills increase challenges for user-centered design” (CHI '09)
Want to know where you stand? http://personality-testing.info/tests/EQSQ.php

5. Systemizers
Empathizers
• Want
to
analyze,
explore,
construct
systems
• Intui?vely
figure
out
how
things
work,
underlying
rules
• Less
interested
in
chaJng.
Less
sociable
• Want
to
iden?fy
another
person's
emo?ons
and
thoughts
• Intui?vely
figure
out
how
people
are
feelingRelaxed
about
details
• Develop
language
rapidly.
Sociable
and
communica?ve

6. Systemize
empathe?c
moments
• Observa?on
techniques:
don’t
interpret,
just
record
• Assemble
data
in
a
way
that
encourages
explora?on
of
underlying
themes
• Create
user
descrip?ons
from
user
data,
not
opinion
• Tie
design
input
to
user
pain
points
• Verify
design
with
tests
• Create
1-­‐1
mapping
from
design
to
implementa?on
plan
• Pair
systemizers
with
empathizers

7. ✔

8. M
T
W
T
F
S
S
✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗
Get
from
user
observa?on
to
itera?on
plan
in
one
week

10. Every time you talk =
one less piece of data
Low-fi data collection
helps you concentrate

12. General
user
informa?on
User’s
domain
exper?se
User
Experience
organized
chronologically
User
Ac?vity
User
ac(vi(es
help
to
organize
related
tasks.
An
ac?vity
called
“managing
email”
might
organize
tasks
like
reading
and
responding
to
messages.
User
tasks
are
the
ac?ons
users
take
to
help
them
reach
their
goal.
Different
users
may
use
different
approaches
to
accomplish
a
task.
User’s
compu?ng
skills
User
Task
User’s
aJtude
towards
problem
User
Goal
Quote
User
Goal
Quote
2nd
User’s
domain
exper?se
Pain
point
User
ac?on
Pain
point
User
ac?on
?on
Ques
?on
Ques
?on
Ques
?on
Ques
User
Task
Design
Idea
Design
Idea
Design
Idea
?on
Ques
Evidence
refers
to
all
the
informa?on
we
collect,
such
as:
• Ac(ons:
what
people
do
• Frustra(ons
and
pain
points
• Delight
the
par?cipant
experienced
• Mo(va(ons
and
goals
• Informa(on:
where,
when,
how?
• Collaborators:
who
did
they
work
with,
talk
to,
email?
Use
direct
user
quotes
wherever
possible
to
communicate
evidence.

14. User
Ac?vity
User
Task
User
Task
User
Goal
Quote
Pain
point
User
ac?on
?on
Ques
?on
Ques
?on
Ques
Design
Idea
Design
Idea
User
Goal
Quote
User
Pain
ac?on
point
Design
Idea
?on
Ques
Pain points = opportunities
to delight customers

16. This information comes
from your site visit data.
Persona Name
Attributes
Goals
Persona • ///
/// /// // Name /// //
//// /// Attributes//// /// Goals
/
•
/
// //// // /// • /// /// // /// /// //
•
/// //
•
//// /// • ////• /// / // /////// /// /
/
// /
•
Concerns • // //// //
Quotes
• /// /// //
• /// /// // ////• /// / /// • // / // ///
“///
//”
•
• / /// ///Concerns“//// /// Quotes
/
•
/”
• / // ////• //// /// //
• “/// /// //”
• //// /// • / /// /// /
/
• “//// /// /”
• / // //// /
• //// /// /
•
•
•
•

18. Ideate to get past your
preconceptions
Local maximum isn’t
best place to be

20. Once
U
A Ti
pon
User
me…
sks
Ta
al
Go

23. healthy
“The length of athe leaststory is
determined by
number
of steps absolutely essential to
secure the hero’s objective.
”
David Mamet “On Directing Film”
✔

26. Recruiting Criteria
Tasks
Success metrics
Interface

29. Public
Release
Itera?on
Incremental
Delivery
Daily
Story
Dev’t
Cycles
Incremental
Delivery
Incremental
Delivery
Product
Delivery
$$

30. User
Ac?vity
User
Ac?vity
User
Ac?vity
Epic
Epic
Epic
Epic
Story
Story
Story
Story
Story
Story
Story
Story
Story
Story
Story
Story
Concept
What
do
users
need?
Process
How
do
we
enable
it?
User
Ac?vity
Epic
User
Ac?vity
Epic
Story
User
Ac?vity
Epic
Epic
Story
Story
Story
Story
Story
Story
lem
Prob
ome
Outc ric)
(met
Story
Execu?on
What
capabili(es
must
we
build?
Story
Hat-­‐?p
to
Jeff
Paeon
(www.agileproductdesign.com),
an
avid
promoter
of
user
story
maps.
Story
Story
lem
Prob
ome
Outc ric)
(met
Story
lem
Prob
me
utco c)
O
ri
(met

31. User
Ac?vity
User
Ac?vity
Epic
Epic
Story
User
Ac?vity
Epic
Epic
Story
Story
Story
Story
User
Ac?vity
User
Ac?vity
Story
Epic
Story
Story
Story
Epic
User
Ac?vity
Epic
Epic
Story
Story
Story
Story
Story
Story
Story
Story
Story
Hat-­‐?p
to
Carissa
Demetris
(ProQuest
LLC)
for
the
cupcake
analogy.
.
Story
Story
Story

32. chris@nodder.com
@uxgrump
ques?onablemethods.com
Taming evil interfaces
Creating heavenly experiences