Trust the Experts: A Lesson on Living in Design Hell

I had a lovely lunchtime meeting today with a wonderful woman who runs a very important service. I'll protect her anonymity since her environment is filled with red tape and bureaucracy. We discussed some of the usability problems plaguing a system she works on and the challenges she faces when trying to make improvements. These challenges are almost always due to a person who isn't "in the know" about design or usability, yet has the authority to make drastic (and poorly researched) decisions that negatively impact the customer.

This is not okay.

I am a firm believer that people should either stick to what they know or get educated on a topic on which they'd like to provide input. That means if you aren't a designer, human factors expert, usability analyst, etc., and have absolutely no education, training, or practical expertise on the subject, don't make an executive decision about the design of a product. That doesn't mean you can't provide an opinion, state a business case, or enjoy a friendly conversation about a design, but if you don't have the expertise, don't make decisions that counter the experts.

I listened to a story today that made me cringe. A new system was underway that could significantly improve customer experience. It was within budget, approved, and moving forward. After a completely unrelated experience with a different system in a different scenario, a person of authority decided the planned system won't work and had to be completely changed (and, in my opinion, not for the better). 

As user experience professionals, we say this all the time, "you are not the user". What could this executive done better?

1. Step back from the situation. Take a few days away from the project.

2. Compare the use cases for these two different systems. How are they used? When are they used? Ask lots of questions!

3. Research the customers for each system. How are they the same or different? How often do they use the system? How many people need to use it? Again, ask lots of questions!

4. Don't make a rash decision based on a personal experience. Don't ignore the experience, but use it to inform your own design or project process.

5. Know your own customer. Observe them. Talk to them. Hire usability experts (shameless plug)!

In this case, the customer base was completely different and the usage level was not even close. The problems the executive encountered would not been likely to happen the way it would have been implemented at his business.

This was a case of an executive decision made without research, without considering expert opinions, and unfortunately, the company is paying for it with a poorly implemented alternative.

That said, the people in charge of the project do care. They care a lot about their customers and now are trying to find ways to resolve all the problems without changing out the system. This could have been prevented if the experts were given decision-making responsibility and the business representatives stayed out of the design.

Remember, though, that there is nothing wrong with getting educated in a new area, whether by traditional coursework or on-the-job experience. Get some knowledge before making a major decision. You wouldn't buy a new car without some research, so why spend thousands of dollars without doing your homework?

Jealousy, Haters, and Success: Lessons to Live By

I am pretty successful at what I do. While I'm not well-known outside a small group of people, I consider myself an expert in certain areas, highly competent at others, and I know where I need improvement. It's confidence, not narcissism.

I feel lucky at the moment to not be well known because it seems that becoming popular means an equal amount of hate (really jealousy) as adoration. What bothers me about this is that the hate is often completely unwarranted. Those who know little about a person let their preconceived notions stew and fester and this may lead to very unprofessional public "hating".

Hating is uncool and here's why:

1. A potential hiring manager won't want you on the team.

2. You look like a jerk.

3. Hating can be scary for the person on the receiving end.

4. Hating can be misconstrued as a threat (in extreme circumstances) and this is definitely bad for your career.

5. You'll look like a jealous fool.

You may wonder where this is coming from so I'll vaguely explain. I've witnessed the rise of a few awesomely talented people with amazing experiences in just a few career-years. Because they lack a 20-year work history, they may be considered less experienced than others, and subsequently, the hating begins. This is jealousy. It's unnecessary, it's rude, and it's ridiculous.

Successful people don't need to be 50 years old with a 30 year career in a specialized field. Many successes stem from a youthful, energetic, and open-minded view. Whether 30 years or 5 years, success stems from how well you handle projects, how you communicate, and the level of trust and respect from your peers. Successfully popular people often are charismatic and perhaps that is what others are jealous of. I can't speak for the haters but I can say what it looks like - jealously to an extreme.

If you find yourself wanting to flame someone you think is undeserving of popularity, stop and think before you post on twitter, a blog, facebook, etc. It's public. Do you really believe what you are saying? Do you know the whole story? Step back and respond with the intention to dialog.

What's better than being a juvenile meanie? Being a communicative adult.

Wrong: "Why are you the authority?"

Right: I'd love to hear more about the projects you've worked on. Do you have time to chat this week?

Wrong: "How come you are so popular?"

Right: "How have you used networking to build a rapport? I'd love to learn more."

Wrong: "You suck."

Right: "I don't understand your background. Would you mind walking me through how you got where you are today?"

I don't care if you are right out of school or the CEO, be courteous at all times because you never know who's watching. I certainly am and at least to myself, my family, and my friends, I am important. That's what matters. Haters don't matter at all.

Dear Fairview...

Today, I had my usual wait of several minutes to use the parking payment machine, this time mostly because the person in front of me was moving slower than I'd like rather than because of the system. So I was already a little annoyed upon reaching my destination, only to have the machine yell at me over and over, "please insert your parking ticket". It wasn't the usual two times. It kept talking until I put the ticket in and as soon as I was done, it was back asking for a ticket, before I had a chance to even roll up my window. I don't know what has been going on in the parking garage, but this is suspicious behavior for that machine. 

The reason I say this is because Google Analytics tells me someone at Fairview is listening and I so appreciate the audience! Please feel free to reach out to me as I am happy to help make the system more usable. I'm totally serious here. Let me help!

srlevan @ gmail dot com

Fairview Update

I can't say for sure if Fairview was listening or if it's a coincidence but the parking payment system screens have been fixed. They are now bright and clearly readable from all angles. Fantastic work! If they were responding to my post, I have to say: "Thank you for taking the time to quickly fix one of your major usability problems! Bravo for handling it efficiently and effectively."

Go Fairview! Only a few more issues left.

August Reading List

Feeling uninspired? Check out some fantastic UX writing to feel motivated!

No One Nos: Learning to Say No to Bad Ideas by Whitney Hess

What managers look for in designer/developer portfolios by Cameron Moll

The FedEx UX Journey, Part 1: The Genesis and Early Progress of FedEx's UX Practice by Thomas Wicinski, Brice Stokes, and Mike Downey

Supporting User Experience Throughout the Product Development Process by Peter Hornsby

Is Your Team Stuck in a Bubble? by Dana Chisnell

5 Indispensable Skills of UX Mastery by Jared Spool

How Fairview Southdale Hospital Failed Its Customers

Sometimes it's clear when a business implements a solution based on cost at the expense of user experience. Fairview Southdale Hospital installed a parking garage payment system that completely fails for the customer.

There are many parking payment systems out there, so the choices may be overwhelming. In the end, though, a priority must be to select one that allows customers to be out quickly to prevent a long line from forming inside the garage. Cost is also a major determining factor as most businesses do not have an unlimited budget. But balance is crucial. Saving money on a system that confuses customers means increased costs in time for hospital staff in assisting the customer, the time it takes to haphazardly label a machine in the hopes of solving problems, and time and frustration for customers who do have other options in where they receive medical care.

Let's take a closer look at why this payment machine fails.

1. There are multiple steps indicated but for most customers, step two doesn't apply. Cash carrying customers are fewer and fewer but there isn't a clear indication that step one can also be step two. Step two only applies to cash customers.

2. The ticket taker is also the credit card reader. Novel to consolidate and reduce inputs but also confusing because customers have been observed looking for a credit card slot and trying to insert a card in the cash slot.

3. There is a receipt button. Very unnecessary for a machine that prints a receipt regardless of whether the button is pressed. Wastes paper and reduces privacy for those customers whose receipts are left behind.

4. The receipt prints much lower than many car windows. If the customer is high and close enough for the credit card slot, he is probably not low enough for the receipt slot. I've observed several customers attempt to get out of the car to get the receipt but if the customer is close enough to use the machine, he is too close to open the car door. This means the car moves forward so the customer can get out of the car and get it. A major risk here - fender bender. The car behind expects the car in front to keep going.

5. The machine is a blabber mouth. A loud message greets each customer, "Please insert your parking ticket. Please insert your parking ticket." Yes, twice. The customer is then instructed to insert a payment method that includes "bank notes" and "points". Okay, bank notes is cash, I get that, but points? What the heck are points? I'm sure no one knows.

6. A dim screen must communicate something to the customer but I couldn't tell you. It's really impossible to see from the car. The screen should be bright and used to communicate the cost to hearing impaired customers. It doesn't need to be large, dim, or communicate anything else.

7. Generally speaking, when I see so many aftermarket, taped-on notes about how to use a machine, I assume it stinks. Clearly something is wrong here. I also often overhear patients asking nurses and other staff how to use the parking system. It should be drive-up-and-use but it isn't. At a hospital, design must accomodate a wide range of ages and technology experiences. Keep it simple and clean.

8. On many occasions (I'm usually there 2-3 times a week), I wait several minutes for a confused customer to figure out how to exit the garage. Whether I'm second in line or tenth, I wait and I wait and I wait. I'm tired of waiting. I want to go home. Paying for parking shouldn't take more than 30 seconds.

Conversely, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport truly considered their customers when installing a new parking payment system. When driving in, the customer can insert a credit card (thus avoiding the need to store a paper ticket), which saves a little money off the parking fee. Upon leaving, simply insert the card, see the total, agree to pay, and if you want, get a receipt. One slot. That's it. It's easy, it's simple, it's good design.

I searched in vain for someone at the hospital who manages the parking garage technology but haven't a clue who that would be or how to find the person on their website. If anyone knows, I would love to talk about better ways to communicate how the system works and discuss what it would take to install a better system that meets the needs of the patients rather than the bottom line. 

Podcasting with Jared Spool

Last week, along with Gary Anderson and Jason Hessing, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jared Spool during our UserLove podcast. In addition to our usual gabbing on the importance of user experience design and a lesson for the day, we have a ton of amazing content from Jared. He was absolutely awesome in volunteering for this task, accepting a bag of M&M's as payment. You can't beat that!

I highly recommend checking it out, and if you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe via iTunes. We update monthly.

UserLove Podcast:

http://tinyurl.com/2dx84l2