UX & conflict resolution: co-designing solutions
I am a digital product designer. For the last 8 years, I have talked to a lot of people — colleagues, clients, consumers — and designed empathetically. By observing others, I have learned more about myself and how to better adapt. My profession, much like my personal life, revolves around social interaction.
It is not very surprising that my approach to design mirrors how I live my life. By combining insight, empathy, and communication, I can navigate choppy waters in business and beyond, or in other words, conflict.
Conflict exists in any situation where facts, desires or fears push or pull participants against each other or in different directions. Unlike fighting, conflict resolution is the process of trying to find a solution to an issue. It is shared problem solving, and uses research, empathy, and communication to discover a mutually agreeable solution. As a designer, I apply a similar approach: I collaborate with people to design solutions that ameliorate pain points.
1. Understand the pain point
Research helps reduce uncertainty so you can design the right solution for the right audience. Good research starts with interviewing, and interviewing is all about trust. If a person doubts the other’s intentions, it is unlikely he will open up. To mitigate this situation, I remind interviewees whatever they say is confidential. I ask open-ended questions. I am cautious of leading the witness and introducing bias. And as much as I sometimes want to sometimes openly agree or disagree, I realize it is better to just acknowledge. Like conflict resolution, I am not the other person; I cannot assume we share the same experience.
The first step in conflict resolution is also research. The more information about the cause of the problem, the more easily you can resolve it.
For instance, a couple disagrees upon which movie to watch. Instead of bickering, it is better to lead with questions than judgement “Why do you you want to watch Mean Girls?” is better than “Mean Girls is boring.” At this stage, people research the source of pain. It is important to not assume, since personal experiences are not universal. I have learned when someone shares her story, it is best to acknowledge the information instead of quickly reacting.
2. Cultivate a shared understanding
”Designers often try to solve a design problem while simultaneously trying to understand the design problem”
— Exposing the Magic of Design by Jon Kolko
In design, it is very tempting to suggest a design solution before comprehending the problem space as a team. I invite both colleagues and stakeholders to interview consumers. I urge people to ask “why” instead of “what” people want. Using this approach, my team discovers the root of the problem, rather then what consumers envision as their own ideal solution. Collaborative research gets everybody on the same page around the vision of the product.
When resolving conflict, I probe pain points to identify the underlying concern. This step is necessary to discover a mutually agreeable solution. I tend to ask a lot of “whys” instead of “whats” because I want to uncover the reasoning behind a decision. Understanding the “why” gives both parties an opportunity to brainstorm alternative options.
Using our movie example, participants can only agree upon a movie after they both understand each other’s differences.
3. Design a solution together
Coming up with a choice both people like is a collaborative effort in life and business. As a designer, I am responsible for turning research data into insight and sharing the findings with my team. Together, we identify the problem statement and sketch together. Participatory design allows the entire team to reach a shared understanding of the vision and assume ownership over the final product. UX design, much like conflict negotiation, is about problem solving. Effective problem solving cannot happen in a vacuum.
In the same vein, agreement and resolution happen when participants in a conflict create a plan to address each other’s underlying concerns. In our movie example, one person wants to watch Mean Girls to understand female high school social cliques. The other votes for Up for of its beautiful animation. Through discussion, both can brainstorm other options that capture both parties’ underlying needs and wants.
Final notes
Both conflict resolution and human centered design, puts peoples’ needs and experience at the center. Both value individuals and interactions over processes and tools. Relationships come first. I have learned the best approach in solving a pain point — whether it is interpersonal or technological — involves building on trust and understanding, and encouraging people to uncover a solution in a united, cooperative way.
