The world is like this and therefore I feel like that.
That seems right. It’s raining, so I’m sad. The person cut me off in traffic and so I’m angry. Ford makes better cars, so I like them more than Chevys.
Occasionally, this cause and effect is what happens. But more often, it goes in the other direction.
We find ourselves with feelings, and then we find (or invent) ‘facts’ to justify them.
This happens in elective politics all the time. It’s not the policies that drive voters, it’s emotions. The policies come later. It also presents in personal interactions, families, workplaces and branding.
When in doubt, don’t argue about the facts. Look for the feelings. Everyone has their own feelings, whether you agree with them or not. When we validate feelings, we create connection that gives us a chance to examine the facts together.
The more often we succumb to the urgency of the moment, the more urgency we create.
The next minute is probably not the last minute, but when we treat it this way, it will be soon followed by another last minute.
Freedom is responsibility with a sexier name.
250 years in, democracy still matters. Click to upvote the ones that resonate and please share.
“I blame myself.”
Said no one, ever. At least not the consumers I know.
When a careless woodworker loses a digit on a table saw, they almost certainly blame the design and instructions of the device, not their lack of care.
On a less gruesome note, the user who fails to read the website before ordering, the instructions before using, or the interface before clicking is unlikely to associate good things with an interaction that failed because of their own lack of care.
The more people interact with you, the more your brand and reputation are at risk.
There are three sorts of operator errors to consider:
One alternative is to prepare your responses and excuses in advance. “Buyer beware!” “RTFM!” “Sorry.”
It might be more productive to limit how people interact with your products and services. To design operator error out of the process. A few people saying, “it didn’t let me do everything I wanted, the way I wanted,” is better than, “it let me break it (or me).”
Letting your clients fail may give them a sense of agency, but it might not be the best way to make the impact you seek with your work.
Great design leads to a better user experience. And “No.” is a complete sentence.
It’s difficult to ride a bicycle in the pitch darkness. We need to see where we’re going to avoid obstacles. And it’s hard to maintain our balance.
When we choose to avoid the conversations that make us uncomfortable, we’re pedaling in the dark.
Talk about it. Turn on the lights.
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