People in the field of user experience are taught that empathy for the end-user is the holy grail. We believe that, by studying your fellow project team members and identifying their needs, you can develop another type of empathy, one that may prove to be more important for business success. We will explain the concept of communication styles, help you identify your own style and that of co-workers. By walking you through the extended user experience design process and introducing stereotypes of the people you will meet on the way, we will show you how to adapt your style to others, to ensure you will be heard during the process (Presented at Euro IA, on September 28, 2012, with Birgit Geiberger)

1. People & Process
Euro IA, Rome
September 27-29, 2012

2. People & Process
Birgit Geiberger & Peter Boersma

3. 16 years professional experience
design & branding
functionality & aesthetics
business & user goals
people management
international experience
IxDA regional coordinator EU & Africa
Birgit Geiberger
Creative Director UX · Visual & Interaction Designer
Freelance · @birgitgcom

4. 17 years professional experience
user research
requirements analysis
concept design
detailed design & prototype
usability evaluation
presents & teaches
Peter Boersma
Interaction Designer · Design Process Consultant
Freelance · @pboersma

5. Evaluation typical Research
User-Centered
Design
Design

6. Business
these also
influence the
Product User Experience Strategy
Evaluation typical Research
User-Centered
Design
Design

7. Business
these also
influence the
Product User Experience Strategy
Process
Evaluation typical Research
User-Centered
Design
Design

8. Let's explore these elements of
the UX process by looking at:
Who do you meet?
What are their deliverables?
How can you contribute to them?

9. Business
Product Strategy
Process
Evaluation typical Research
User-Centered
Design
Design

10. People like you
WHO?

11. Persona
WHAT?

12. Moodboard
WHAT?

13. Card Sort
WHAT?

14. Sketches
WHAT?

15. Concept Map
WHAT?

16. Screenflow
WHAT?

17. Wireframe
WHAT?

18. Infographics
WHAT?

19. Prototype
WHAT?

20. Prototype
WHAT?

21. Styleguide
WHAT?

22. Usability Test
WHAT?

23. Business
Product Strategy
Process
Evaluation Research
Design

24. Process
HOW?

25. na AP
er so EM
P I T
S
ir e- wire
fr ame
qu ts
re n
s usabi
e lity
m test
en design proto-
re
Sc W principles
LO Process ty p e
HOW?
F

26. ire- design wire proto-
r equ ts principles fr ame
n type
me s
a AP
son TE
M usabi
lity
Per SI n test
ree
Sc W
FLO
Process
HOW?

27. ire- design wire proto-
r equ ts principles fr ame
n type
me s
user concept detailed prototype &
research design design evaluate
a AP
son TE
M usabi
lity
Per SI n test
ree
Sc W
FLO
Process
HOW?

28. Process
HOW?

29. Process
HOW?

30. Process
HOW?

31. Process
HOW?

32. Process
HOW?

33. Process
HOW?

34. Process
HOW?

35. Process
HOW?

36. Process
HOW?

37. Process
HOW?

38. Business
these also
influence the
Product User Experience Strategy
Process
Evaluation Research
Design

39. Business
Product Strategy
Process
Evaluation Research
Design

40. Account Manager
WHO?

41. Pitch
WHAT?

42. For
(target customers)
who are dissatisfied with
(the current market),
our product/service is
(a new product/service)
that provides a solution to
(key customer problems).
Unlike
(the product alternative),
we have
Pitch
WHAT?
(differentiating attributes).

43. For
(target customers)
who are dissatisfied with
(the current market),
our product/service is
(a new product/service)
that provides a solution to
(key customer problems).
Unlike
(the product alternative),
we have
(differentiating attributes).

44. For who is the target
(target customers) audience?
who are dissatisfied with
(the current market),
our product/service is what experiences
(a new product/service) are compelling to
that provides a solution to them?
(key customer problems).
Unlike how is your
(the product alternative), offering different
we have from competitors?
(differentiating attributes).

45. Estimate
WHAT?

46. assuming
we design
5 complex wireframes
+ 5 medium wireframes
+ 15 components
we estimate
we need 320 hours
(5x16 + 5x12 + 15x12)
but
we don’t know
the developer’s
documentation needs
Estimate
WHAT?

47. assuming
we design
5 complex wireframes
+ 5 medium wireframes
+ 15 components
we estimate
we need 320 hours
(5x16 + 5x12 + 15x12)
but
we don’t know
the developer’s
documentation needs

48. assuming
we design
5 complex wireframes
+ 5 medium wireframes
+ 15 components assumptions
we estimate
we need 320 hours calculations
(5x16 + 5x12 + 15x12) (explanations)
but
we don’t know risks
the developer’s
documentation needs

49. Speak the language
HOW?

50. X
HOW?
Find the treasure

51. Show Apple products
HOW?

52. Help make decisions
HOW?

53. Business
Product Strategy
Process
Evaluation Research
Design

54. Strategy
1. Who
2. What
3. How
Brand Manager
WHO?

60. Know Your Enemy
HOW?

61. Business
Product Strategy
Process
Evaluation Research
Design

62. Manage
1. Who
2. What
3. How
Product Manager
WHO?

63. WHAT?
Scope

64. essential
quick win winner!
easy hard
repair quality
WHAT?
contributes

65. WHAT?
Optimize

66. WHAT?
Optimize

68. 28% better

69. Roadmap
HOW?

70. Area Area
Area Area
Area
Roadmap
HOW?

71. release release
progress progress
Area Area
progress progress
progress
Area Area
Area
Roadmap
HOW?

72. release release release release
progress progress
progress progress
Area progress progress Area
progress
progress progress
progress
Area Area
Area
Roadmap
HOW?

73. Business
these also
influence the
Product User Experience Strategy
Process
Evaluation typical Research
User-Centered
Design
Design

74. From Process to People
• UX Process is more than user-centered design
• UCD’s “empathy for the end-user” is not enough
• We should develop empathy for all characters
that live in the world of User Experience
• For that, we need to learn to communicate with
all kinds of people

75. Communication
is influenced by

76. observable behavior
( verbal, vocal & visual )

77. The Social Style Model
The Social Style Model is Trademark of the Tracom Group

78. The Social Style Model
David Merrill found that people display
consistent observable behaviors,
and that others consistently agree on
words to describe each behavior.
The Social Style Model is Trademark of the Tracom Group

80. What are Social Styles?
• Behavioral patterns that others can observe
• Based on the "outside" of a person
(verbal, vocal, visual)
• Social Styles do not try to interpret what the
intentions are: the "inside" of a person
(thoughts, character or personality assessment)

81. What can you learn from
Social Styles?
• Get to know your personal style & gain an
understanding of how you are perceived by others
• Learn about different styles & their behavior
• Learn to optimize your communication & understand
why people talk to us the way they do
• Learn to not let your typical behavioral preferences
lead to a failure in communication
• Learn to appreciate the value of the different styles
with their strengths & qualities

83. Indirect Direct

84. Indirect Direct

85. Open
Indirect Direct
Guarded

86. Open
Indirect Direct
Guarded

87. Open
Relator Socializer
Amiable Style Expressive Style
Indirect Direct
Thinker Director
Analytical Style Driver Style
Guarded

88. Open
Indirect Direct
Guarded

89. Open
People oriented
Indirect Direct
Guarded

90. Open
Indirect Direct
Guarded

91. Open
Indirect Direct
Task oriented
Guarded

92. Open
Indirect Direct
Guarded

93. Open
Indirect
Slow Direct
pace
Guarded

94. Open
Indirect Direct
Guarded

95. Open
Fast
Indirect Direct
pace
Guarded

96. X
Potential conflicts
X

97. X
Potential conflicts
X

98. The Social Styles in detail

99. Relator: “I feel ...”
Relationship oriented

100. Relator
open & indirect
• Very supportive, approachable and cooperative
• Strong & loyal team player
• Good listener and sensitive to others feelings
• Open with emotions, warm & friendly
• High priority on friendships and close relationships
• Tends to look for personal motives in actions of others
• Needs people to get along - seeks harmony & stability
• Likes to get direction

101. Relator
Potential issues
• Reluctant to change
• Sticks to the comfortable and known
• Avoids risks
• Does things in a very slow-paced way
• Undisciplined in their use of time due to sharing
personal objectives & feelings with others

102. Socializer: “I want ...”
Intuition oriented

103. Socializer
open & direct
• Very enthusiastic, energetic and spontaneous
• Highly flexible and adaptable to new situations
• Acts quickly and is willing to take risks
• Very imaginative, lots of creative ideas
• Communicative and fun
• Involves others with their feelings & thoughts
• Says and shows what they think
• Needs to be appreciated
• Likes to try new & different things

104. Socializer
Potential issues
• Little concern for practical details
• Easily changes course of action
• Struggles with commitment & follow-through
• Bases decisions on personal opinion & opinion
of important people in their lives (weighs more
than facts & data)
• Undisciplined in their use of time (too many
distractions)

105. Director: “I will ...”
Action oriented

106. Director
guarded & direct
• Knows exactly what he wants, where he is going
and how to get there quickly
• Very focussed: swift, efficient, to the point in everything they do
• Prefers to be presented with options
• Makes own decisions, don't like at all to be told what to do or
what not to do
• Takes risks
• Seeks productivity
• Needs to be in control
• Likes results

107. Director
Potential issues
• Very forceful
• Says what he thinks
• Highly result driven; it’s not about pleasing people
on the way
• Very impatient
• Works best without others or with people who are
able to move quickly
• Controls emotions, does not show emotions

108. Thinker: “I think ...”
Process oriented

109. Thinker
guarded & indirect
• Bases decisions purely on facts
(tangible, practical, realistic evidence)
• Asks questions, gathers information
• Steadfast, reliable, and dependable
• Strong sense of duty and obligation
• Natural giver and cooperative team member
• Seem to move slowly but they use their time in a deliberate,
disciplined manner
• Needs to be right
• Likes pattern and predictability

110. Thinker
Potential issues
• Studies data seriously before forming an opinion or
being enthusiastic
• Can come across a bit skeptical, even critical
• Main priority is job at hand and the process to achieve it
• Avoids risks and is very cautious
• High control of emotions
• People and friendships are important, but it does not
show on initial contact

112. We all display some aspects
of each of the Social Styles
But we have one dominant style

113. No style is better than another

114. Beware of generalization and
swift judgement

115. Recognize & communicate with
other Social Styles

116. To recognize a Social Style,
pay attention to...
Their way of talking
• Loudness & tone of voice
• Topics of conversation (personal versus factual)
• “I” or “we” form
• Pace
Their body language
• Many gestures
• Facial expressions
• Eye contact
Their listening skills

117. How to communicate with a
Relator
• Make them feel safe
• Spend some time talking and socializing,
in order to develop a relationship
• Be friendly and understanding
• Inform early on when changes may occur
• Don’t break promises

118. How to communicate with a
Socializer
• Show appreciation for what they have done
• Be supportive of their ideas
• Never ignore them
• Be positive and show energy
• Help them to stay on track

119. How to communicate with a
Director
• Provide options and show benefits
• Provide executive summary upfront
• Be clear and precise
• Don’t talk about personal topics
• Get to the point fast, don’t irritate by being
inefficient and indecisive

120. How to communicate with a
Thinker
• Provide a lot of information for them to be able
to discover patterns and factual relationships
• Provide thoughtful arguments and facts
• Give time to process
• Provide plans with deadlines to set expectations
• Inform early about potential changes
• Don't misinterpret lack of enthusiasm with lack of
interest

121. How about you?

122. X
any conflicts?
X

123. X
which styles?
X

124. Business
Product Strategy
Process
Evaluation Research
Design

125. Business
Product Strategy
Process
Evaluation Research
Design

126. Relator Socializer
Thinker Director

127. Two things to remember...

128. Business
Product Strategy
Process
Evaluation Research
Design

129. Business
Product Strategy
Process
Evaluation Research
Design

130. Always assume good intentions
even if you don’t understand
people’s behavior.

131. Always assume good intentions
even if you don’t understand
people’s behavior.
They may simply have a
different style.

132. Thank you
Birgit Geiberger & Peter Boersma
Euro IA, Rome
September 27-29, 2012

133. Thank you
Birgit Geiberger & Peter Boersma
Euro IA, Rome
September 27-29, 2012