Steve McGuire, associate manager of usability and optimization at Canadian Tire, emphasizes the importance of empathy in design, advocating for collaboration and user testing to connect with customers. The document outlines how Canadian Tire utilizes user testing across various platforms to enhance customer experiences, highlighting a user-centered approach in project development. Key insights include the difference between sympathy and empathy, and the necessity of understanding diverse user perspectives to create effective products.

1. UX at Canadian Tire:
Baking Empathy into Projects
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Steve McGuire
Associate Manager Usability and Optimization, Canadian Tire

2. UserTesting’s on demand customer
insights platform enables companies
to create powerful products and
exceptional customer experiences.
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3. We Partner With Thousands Of Customers
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4. Across All Platforms, At All Stages Of Development
Watch customers interact with:
DESKTOP SMARTPHONE TABLET
WEBSITES APPS &
PROGRAMS
PROTOTYPES &
WIREFRAMES
SURVEYS PHYSICAL
PRODUCTS
Anywhere people interact with your brand:
AT HOME AT A STORE ON THE GO
On any pla6orm or device:
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5. 8
Steve McGuire
Associate Manager Usability and Optimization, Canadian Tire
Steve has been a professional designer in physical and digital spaces for almost 20
years. His work includes design leadership for TD Bank, Toronto SickKids Hospital,
and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He currently works at Canadian Tire
leading the UX practice and designing delightful experiences for all screen sizes. He's
a lean UX practitioner and an advocate for evidence-based design.
#UTwebinar

6. UX at Canadian Tire:
Baking Empathy into Projects
Steve McGuire

7. Places I’ve been

8. Canadian Tire provides products
and services for the jobs and
joys of everyday life in Canada.
There are 490+ stores
from coast to coast.

9. A prerequisite to empathy is simply paying
attention to the person in pain.
- Daniel Goleman (author, Emotional Intelligence)
In order to connect with you, I have to
connect with something in myself that knows
that feeling.
- Brené Brown (Ph.D., researcher and story teller)

10. Sympathy vs Empathy

11. …then they got
cool with it.

12. A brief history of Empathy in UX

13. In the
beginning…

14. Then…

15. Now…

16. Quantitative
(A/B Testing)
Qualitative
Big sample of peeps
Small sample
of peeps
WHAT
CUSTOMERS
PREFER WHY?
What are users thinking?
So… Let’s start with Research

17. Empathy is key in the design process, especially
when you start expanding outside of your
comfort zone to new languages, cultures, and
age groups. If you try to assume what those
people want, you're likely to get it wrong.
- Mike Krieger (Instagram co-founder)

18. But…
We are all a
Use Case of ‘1’
I think customers want...

19. Testing users allows for whole teams
to experience Empathy for customers.

20. Get everyone involved!
• Designers
• Business Analysts
• Content Providers
• Developers
• Learning Solutions
• Project Managers
• Anyone really…

21. Unmoderated User Testing @ CT
Team
collaborates
to determine
test criteria
1 Test
Author
3 members
3 videos each
Team looks for
patterns/ identify key
findings/ creates
recommendations
1 Report
Author
1 WEEK

22. But there are Risks…

23. Moderated
User Testing

24. Moderated
User Testing
@ CT

25. The main tenet of design thinking is empathy
for the people you're trying to design for.
Leadership is exactly the same thing -
building empathy for the people that you're
entrusted to help.
- David M. Kelley (IDEO founder)

26. Collaboration creates Empathy

27. Reduce Risk.
Why Collaborate?

28. Sharing is good!
Share early and often.
Build Consensus.

29. Make Empathy work for you

30. Other tips on infusing
Empathy into projects

31. Humanize user
responses to
your designs

32. Socialize your
big TV
Moments

33. Become
your Mother

34. What is it all good for…

35. Empathy is powerful
Why take on all the Risk?
VS

36. Channelin’
The Don

37. Thanks!
You can find me on LinkedIn.