fighting the dark side of data-driven (form, function & class web design conference 2015)

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Fighting the dark side of data.

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How good things turn out bad.

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Why data is important for design.

Why it isn’t.

How to make sure you only use it when it’ll do you a world of good

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10 years Using Consumer Insight

to GivE Strategic Recommendations

to Brands

QUantitative Research

Qualitative Research

User Experience & INTERACTION DESIGN

BRAND PLANNING

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34%

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This is the story of a button.

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This is the story of a button.

Jared Spool’s “$300 Million Button Case Study”, from his User Interface Engineering post

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Usability

Onboarding

Conversion Optimization

Growthhacking

“Dark UX”

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Usability

Onboarding

Conversion Optimization

Growthhacking

“Dark UX”

Effectiveness and comprehension

Getting you into the app

Getting you to transact

Tricks and tracking to get more users

Using UX knowledge to trick people into doing things

?

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Data has gotten a great rap.

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“Users” and “Customers” have gotten a great rap.

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Why are “data” and testing so popular?

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Imagine getting to predict

what will happen next.

@yellowicepickComicBook.com with their weekly breakdown of TV ratings, by demographic.

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Digital is made for data.

@yellowicepickSample Visitors Flow page, from our own website’s Analytics

@yellowicepickGoogleTrends screencapture - Past Year Searches for Philippine Government Service agencies https://medium.com/@yellowicepick/what-filipinos-look-for-when-we-look-for-the-government-94247ecbf549#.c0bu446mh

@yellowicepickhttps://medium.com/@yellowicepick/what-filipinos-look-for-when-we-look-for-the-government-94247ecbf549#.c0bu446mh

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Better decisionsData =

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You can have all the effing data on-hand and your product could still suck.

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Having good design

Having a lot of data ≠

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How does that happen?

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What do you mean when you say “good”?

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This is good because of…

Great technique.

Relevance.

Viability.

@yellowicepickIDEO Human-Centered Design Model

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What is using data for evil design

anyway?

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“Technology is an amplifier.”

- Jan Chipchase

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“Technology is an amplifier.”

- Jan Chipchase

It doesn’t make people “something else” entirely; it makes them more of what they are, or what they like to do or see themselves.

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Power

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Power is neutral.

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“Using Sketch makes me feel like a god.”

@yellowicepickEssena O’ Neill’s Instagram screenshot via Forbes

@yellowicepickImage via The Daily Mail

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What do you mean when you say “good”?

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Great technique.

Relevance.

Viability.

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Great technique.

Relevance.

Viability.

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What can you do to make sure you’re using data for good?

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Weapons. To make sure you’re only using

data when it’s good for you.

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Evil that doesn’t know any better.

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1. No backbone.

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Walang tanga, meron lang walang pake.

There aren’t actually any idiots; just people who don’t care about the work.

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Weapon #1:

INTENT.

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Why are you gathering feedback?

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Ask your team what you need.

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Evil that follows orders.

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2. Listening to what users say.

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Don’t listen to what users say.

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Don’t listen to what users say.Figure out what they mean.

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Don’t listen to what users say.Figure out what they mean.

Solve that.

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Weapon #2:

PROBING.

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Why did he say that?

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Solve the reason behind the suggestion.

Not the suggestion itself.

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Doing research doesn’t mean

giving up your expertise as a designer and developer.

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It’s not about “Oh, I should make it blue.”

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Creativity is problem-solving.

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Evil because you didn’t know yourself

well enough.

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What is this cheesy crap?

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What is this cheesy crap?

Soft skills. We aren't called to be artists or technicians. We're called to be problem-solvers.

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3. Bias

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Uniqueness3. Bias

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“Everything we talk about, we’re saying about ourselves."

Erika Hall, Just Enough Research

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Better decisionsData =

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Validity

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Accuracy

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“We weren’t going to go out and do market research.”

–Steve Jobs

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“…we didn’t build the Mac for anybody else.

We built it for ourselves… We weren’t going to go out and do market research.”

–Steve Jobs

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Weapon #3:

Strategically “be yourself”.

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Design isn’t just about you.   Products you make for other people

aren’t about you.

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Know when it helps to “be yourself”.

And when it helps to just shut up and observe your users.

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Weapon #4:

Bring two friends.

Who are honest. Two, so you have tie-breakers.

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It improves your analysis when you are challenged.

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We don’t really mean to be bad.

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Intent.

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Conscientiousness.May pake.

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Weapons when someone hits you with data.

Have a backbone.1

It’s not about what people “say”. It’s about what they mean.

2

Sometimes, don’t be yourself. When gathering feedback.

3

Have people challenge you.4

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Meaning.

This is about not allowing your context to stop you. This is about assessing your context and realizing what is in your power to solve. To help make better.

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Thank you!Message me, if you want to talk

about using research and data for design. Or if you just like doughnuts :) medium.com/@yellowicepick

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