User

Tribal Theory – Biljana Jurukovski

The subject of User Experience contains very enjoyable details. First of all, we are all users. So we are members of the user tribe. Maybe we’re not the chief or mage of the tribe, but we’re members, that’s for sure.

So what are these people using? What does it mean to use? Why do we call them users? Can someone tell me?

To use : To take advantage of something for a specific purpose.

This is the meaning that interests us. The dictionary meaning of the word “user” is more complex, trust me.

So you, me, our uncle’s daughter, the President of the United States, everyone but everyone is a member of the user tribe. Because we use something for a certain purpose. Almost every day, every hour, every minute.

As humans, we have so much in common that you’d be surprised. But things get a little messy when it comes to what and how we use it. Because we all use different things. Even if we use the same thing, we use it in different ways.

My friends reading this post, you, me and anyone trying to solve the user needs to be aware of the possible scenarios. Let’s give it a name;

Being aware of the difference

If you are developing any product or service, you have to solve its users and be aware of the differences between users.

When you reach this awareness, you will see that you get rid of your own identity and write scenarios as a different person. So you will be able to think like another human being. You will be able to navigate the convolutions of your brain. You will be able to guess which color they like, which messages they like, which device they use at what time.

Which book does he read on the toilet, which one does he read on the plane, or does he read a book or not? You name it. It depends on how far you can go in psychological analysis. Here is what this ability is called:

Empathy

Actually, I wanted to write the word empathy in a huge font with red, bolditalic, underline and even flashing lights around it, but I restrained myself. Someone who can’t empathize is unlikely to specialize in user experience. Putting yourself in another person’s shoes and looking for an answer to the question of what they would do here is really not easy, but it is necessary.

But we will. I will show you the ways.

It doesn’t matter if you say “I sell rosemary in the market” or “I am the programmer of the software that enables the efficient use of the energy of the spacecraft on Mars”. Whatever you produce/sell/offer, there are people in front of you and these people have conscious or subconscious expectations. They have their own psychology and culture. The environment they live in has conditions. There is a Pandemic etc. Our job is to detect them. Finding a solution and showing that we have a solution.

That’s when we can get them to press that button.


The Button…

Ates Evren Aydinel

Engineer. 22 years white collar. Financial digital projects manager. Guest lecturer at various universities and institutions. Consultant. Book writer and publisher. Founder of Ates Experience Design.