UX, the Social Work of Technology
I know, I know, that seems like a broad reach, but take a few moments to let me explain.
In reviewing UX Design and Research job descriptions they often request “Master’s Degree in Human — Computer Interaction, Psychology, or Anthropology”. I’ve been surprised not to see social work listed. It made me wonder, “why not?” I’m making the assumption that social work experiences aren’t widely understood. So with that, here are four overlap areas that have caused me to name UX as the social work of technology.
*note — since writing this I have seen “social science” listed a few times
Empathy & Advocacy
Empathy is one of the first words you hear in both Social Work education and in the world of User Experience. While it may have become a bit overused, the practice of understanding client/user empathy drives both fields. Simply put, empathy is the ability to understand someone else’s emotions and to be able to share those feelings without internalizing them. This is key because in neither role should the professional directly absorb the responsibility of the difficulty. Instead, in understanding the pain point you can support the client/user through the issue and advocate to create solutions for a more comfortable path.
Interviewing and Active Listening
Both professions interview users to identify obstacles. They consider how these obstacles are impacting them emotionally and what the client/user considers as a possible solution. Both professions also check in with the client/user once their system/product is in place to assess overall satisfaction. Clients going home after having a hospital stay are often visited by community social workers to assess for their well-being in their home and UX Designers perform very similar assessments through usability-testing to assess for the user’s comfort using a product once it’s developed. Throughout this whole process the professional is using active listening to get to the root pain point and understand what the client/user is asking for. Also note, Actively listening isn’t just for interviewing. It is imbedded throughout all touch points in the professional’s day
Effective Communication
In order to connect with your client/user as well as your team it is crucial to be able to communicate effectively. Thorough situational review, rephrasing to ensure deep understanding of goals and/or concerns and clearly identifying future goals with a timeline of action items all contribute to making sure everyone involved understands the current state of a situation. Please note active listening, as well as taking the time to think deeply about a problem and work through the possibilities are also a part of effective communication.
**While some individuals process information very quickly, others need time to sit with their thoughts and organize them before sharing. This is another topic for another time, but it’s important to remember that just because a teammate is quiet in a meeting, doesn’t mean they’re not engaged. Take the time to circle back later for any follow-up thoughts.
Team Collaboration and Budget Considerations
In both Social Work and in UX, Aristotle’s quote rings true, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” Whether working on a team in the hospital with doctors, case managers, nurses, social workers and pharmacists, or working on an agile team with developers, product managers, UX Designers, UX Researchers, the team is crucial to move the well being of the client/product forward. This applies to any group collaboration where everyone has a role. Each professional must apply all of the above skills to continue effectively moving towards the same goal. In addition, the importance of budget constraint consideration parallels beautifully. WIth product development we are looking for the most robust design and development of a product in the most streamline way while still maintaining the integrity of the plan and staying within the budget. Social workers also collaborate with their team members to ensure appropriate funding for the necessary interventions for their client to provide the best support for that individual’s needs.
Putting it together, this venn diagram sheds light on the overlap of these two professions. There are outliers, as would be expected, but the majority of the “big” skills needed for each speciality overlap entirely. So as you’re writing your next job description, consider those transitioning from social work to be a valuable addition to your design team….and for those of you social workers considering how you might fit in the tech world….with a little upskilling, there’s a great parallel position waiting for your already established expertise and creativity.