The Importance of Analytical Thinking

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Bad, bad ancestry creeps into products when we build them with assumptions. The example that I like to use is a meme that's been going around the internet of a guy sticking his hand in a men's bathroom under a electric soap dispenser. And then his buddy, who's black, sticks his hand underneath it. And the soap machine just doesn't recognize the black skin. Okay. That was a bad assumption. So questioning assumptions is an ongoing process. It's not something you do once and then move on.

Alan Cooper teaches us what it means to be a good ancestor. He enlightens us to why it’s so hard to build good software. He reveals how money trumps good UX and ethics far too often. He explains why UX is not about finding the best location for a hamburger menu, but about solving the big problems that exist for the user and the business. He also inspires us to consider (and potentially redirect) the footprints we’re leaving now, for the generations to come.

Should designers code? (4:40)
Specialization vs. generalization (7:41)
How do designers get business on board with building great products? (13:19)
How do you be a good ancestor? (25:30)
Ancestry Thinking (41:06)
What does the future of UX look like to you? (44:01)
What advice do you have for aspiring UX designers? (53:13)
What do you want your legacy to be? (57:16)

Check out the detailed show notes including the transcript and Eli Jorgensen’s astonishing superhero artwork at userdefenders.com/053-2

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