This article, Homeless people left out by high tech, in my local newspaper, last week, touched a nerve. The disconnect between Government online system designers and the end-users of those systems is often all too real. It needn’t be that way.
Navigating complex online systems can be a challenge for many of us, never mind the homeless, those living in poverty, and a spectrum of other disadvantaged folks. Unfortunately, system designers are often insulated from the impact of their work, particularly the user interface. I’ve seen it. A lot. I spent a career as an information systems design consultant, and worked on many a “system”. Mea culpa.
Of course, the system designer/end-user disconnect is not solely the domain of the public sector. Many a private, and non-profit, organization can plead guilty, too. Collectively, poor us.
Why system designers are often disconnected from their end-users
There are numerous reasons (from my observations) why a system designer may be disconnected from the end-users they serve:
- no psychological connection – minimal empathy with the people being served; an us vs. them mentality (even if not intentionally expressed)
- working on stereotypes – “we understand them and their situation well enough; there is no need to spend more time with them”
- organization culture – “this is how we do things, here”
- discomfort with chaos – “life is messy; let’s minimize the number of variables, else we’ll never get this system built”
- lack of social precedent – “no one else is doing it”
Throw in some standard items such as system budget and schedule, and the opportunities for disconnect grow.
3 Ways system designers can effectively communicate with the marginalized people they serve
To communicate is “to make common”; i.e., to get on the same page. If our intention is to design systems that resonate well with end-users then we must effectively communicate with those end-users.
1. Care about them. Bid for connection, personal connection, with them. Get to know their story, first-hand. You can’t hate (or discount) someone whose story you know. Interviewing, case studies, focus groups. It’s all good. Best is 1-1 relationship. Caring is easier to commit to, then. Care roots us in the interconnectedness of the world.
As a system designer – of the hundreds/thousands of hours you spend in the design process, how many end-users have you established a working relationship with? How many hours of your time have you given them?
2. Walk with them. Go to them. Be with them. See, first-hand, their world. If its’ the street (homeless) – be there. If its a court house – be there. If its a care facility – be there. Seek to understand, with their eyes. From the science of mirror neurons, we know that shared experience is a pathway to empathy. ”Mirror neurons fire to what’s already in your motor repertoire. Mirror neurons do not fire at actions that are not part of your motor repertoire.” Do you need a better reason to walk with them for a while?
As a system designer – have you ever walked with them?
3. Treat them as partners. You are likely working in a safe, secure environment, and making much more than a “living wage”. Their life may seem very different from yours. From a power perspective, treating them as collaborators may challenge you. Yet, shifting the balance of power is exactly what you/we must do, if you believe dignity and respect, information sharing, and participation are principles worth upholding. Involve them in the decision-making process. If you are uncomfortable with that, at the very least, give them a voice at the table, by proxy, e.g., as BC Patient Voices Network does.
As a system designer, who is advocating for them?
Call to Action
When you see an organization leader who stands up, and takes initiative to build authentic connections between system designers and the people they serve, find the highest rooftop you can, and shout out that good news.
Are you with me?
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Photo credits: Brian Eichorn, Racorn (123.rf)
Ben, you’ve got it exactly right. I was a computer operator/PC user for many years (started way before PC’s – data entry, operator, RPGII programmer, system analyst, and went on to become an expert with numerous office applications) before going to NAIT to further my knowledge with a Computer Network Administration certificate. There was just me on the “user” side and 19 technicians/system analysts/programmers/designers/operators in the class. The 19 were all shocked when, during one of our sessions, I declared that electronic forms should be developed to strictly follow the order of the paper input form fields which supply the data to be entered into the computer form. As one of the 19 said – my design is much more efficient and users should follow it. My response was, although he may be right, the 19 of them should sit down and enter the information from the original paper input form into their computer forms. Only then did they understand the difficulties and stress to the user resulting from out of order input fields. It was a small but hopefully valuable lesson for their future work designing people-friendly systems.
Thanks, S.M. That’s a helpful example, you provide… highlighting the stress on end-users; stress that often isn’t adequately addressed by designers. Good on for you for standing your ground. Note: I, too, took some computer science courses at NAIT, long time ago… night school. Good place. 🙂
Thanks for your thoughtful post, Ben.
There is a spectrum of disenfranchised homeless clients with crippling addictions, who are struggling with demons, depression and psychosis. Some may be reached, and I imagine some are almost or virtually unreachable. However, I know an angelic psychiatric nurse who goes further, playing guitar and making music to connect with clients.
Thanks Soren. Maybe that nurse could be part of a government system design team? 🙂 She sounds remarkable, very creative, and caring.