
We mustn’t maximize the users’ “well-being” or “happiness” according to some external standard. We must instead honor their values (although not necessarily their goals, feelings, norm-compliance tendencies, ideologies) and provide spaces where they can live in the manner in which they believe in, helping them to treat people, to act, and to approach things in whatever way they find meaningful. Only then are we responding to what’s really important to them.
Three days at UX Cambridge always sets my brain on fire. I have trouble sleeping at night for a day or two — and no, it’s not the cocktails. My head gets crowded with thoughts flying around like some huge wordle; thoughts that are all tryin…