The You Experience — Common Sense
Over the past 20 years in my career, I’ve been watching you.
Not in a weird, creepy, call-the-police kind of way, rather, as a soft skill I’m nurturing to serve up more meaningful user experiences. The more I pay attention to people and really study them, the more I appreciate our peculiarity as humans and the innate desire we have to feel important.
People… you are fascinating creatures!
You do strange things. You do nice things. You behave in eclectic ways. It’s a captivating scene to sit back and observe what you do. For some, I’d describe your behaviors as idiotic. To others, genius. Certain actions beg me to ask, “Why would you do that?” Other actions cause me to smile as I watch someone do something kind for another.
User experience designers know: observation is a must. Designing delightful, innovative products is pure guess-work unless we’re observing, iterating, and observing again. The UX Designer should be on the constant look-out for opportunities to observe others using and interacting with their products.
Recently though, my thoughts have turned to how UX Designers and other professionals in our industry are behaving. And yes, I do mean that literally.
I fear that with all our training, all our education, all our boot camps, all our human-centered classes, all our workshops, all our Meetups, all our fancy UI designs on Dribbble, all the astute design titles we aspire for, and all our ground-breaking digital products, we’re losing sight of a key ingredient:
We‘re not applying our UX skills to how people experience us.
Another way to phrase this is: We aren’t designing the experience others have of us. And while there’s no secret recipe to design a great experience of yourself overnight, there are simple steps you can take today. If you want others to have a better experience of you, you have to change your behavior.
In order to do that, I’m proposing we (myself included) need to use more common sense.
Don’t take that wrong, I’m not saying we’re all rude, oblivious idiots. I need to work on this just as much as the next person. But are we touting our arrogance proudly, calling on our years in the industry or college degrees to serve as our birthright to put someone else down? Are we so dug into the trenches of complex UX principles that we’ve forgotten the basic principles of human interaction?
I believe that applying some common sense in the workplace and in your life can have a tremendous impact on your deliverable.
In this case, the UX deliverable is YOU!
Using Common Sense to Design the UX of You
First, let’s look at the big picture.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines common sense as follows:
noun. sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts
One more definition. Dictionary.com defines it like this:
noun. sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like; normal native intelligence.
Forget for a moment about all your textbook knowledge and years in the industry. Set your book smarts aside briefly and focus on the here-and-now. In that mindset, I will present to you very practical workplace situations and how we might apply common sense to these.
I promise, as you apply common sense in these scenarios, the experience others have of you will be better.
By using common sense, you, the UX deliverable, will be better received. You’ll develop the trust and down-to-earth relationships that come from a genuine acknowledgment of practicality and social awareness.
15 Common Sense Tips for the UX Designer
1. Bring street smarts inside the building.
In close relation to common sense is another term called, “street smarts”. It literally describes our ability to be aware of our surroundings on the street and stay safe. Those with street smarts know how to react to difficult situations, how to spot potential danger, and in short, how to survive.
It’s knowing when and how to bring the hustle.
It’s keeping a cool head and not overreacting or putting yourself in harm's way. Will Smith, the famous U.S. actor provided this wisdom years ago:
“If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.” ~Will Smith
Street smarts imply a situational intelligence vital to your safety on the streets. Having them involves a constant attitude of being ready at all times for whatever life throws at you.
Don’t leave your street smarts at the door when you get to work, bring them in.
2. Give credit where credit is due.
One quick way to gain trust and respect at work is by giving credit where it’s due. In direct contrast, not giving credit or taking credit for someone else’s work is a sure-fire way to piss someone off.
Don’t take credit for work that wasn’t your own — it’s messed up and can get you into serious relationship trouble with direct reports, managers, coworkers, and friends.
There’s no need to make a big show about it, simply acknowledge the work of others. You can do this in written or verbal form depending on the situation.
3. The headphones rule.
Sometimes we need to get into a flow and shut out all distractions. We do this by slapping on our headphones and getting to it. When we approach someone with their headphones on, all it takes is a few quick observations for you to know what to do.
If their headphones are completely on you can appear in their peripheral vision to get their attention. If it’s appropriate, a gentle tap on the desk or shoulder. A wave or hand gesture works too. But don’t assume you’re going to be heard if you just start talking.
Is what you have to say that important and pressing? If they’re in the zone and working hard, maybe consider coming back or shooting them an email or Slack message if it’s not urgent.
If only one earbud is in, they’re obviously open to hearing their surroundings. You can likely speak into their open ear and they’ll usually take out the earbud from the other ear to listen.
Sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Common sense.
4. How you walk.
Sometimes the way we walk sends mixed messages to passersby. A brisk stride in their step with their head up, shoulders back and a smile on their face could be an indication of confidence and positivity in their day. But, don’t assume that just because someone walks with their head down, slumped posture, avoids eye contact, and doesn’t talk to anyone that they’re shy, rude, or unwilling to engage in conversation.
Common sense would say in this situation that it’s best not to judge, but rather, to get to know the person through honest, caring, genuine conversation. Start with a simple “hello” in the hallway and build from there.
In my experience, what matters is the respect you show the other person and just how interested you are in them. Don’t base it all on the way they walk.
5. Blend in.
Let me first clarify. I think we all want to feel important. We all want to feel that what we do matters. Recognition feels good. Getting promoted is nice. For some, standing out from amongst the crowd is exactly what they crave. Don’t settle for mediocrity if it isn’t you.
The “blending in” I’m referring to has to do with practical workplace situations. This is especially helpful when you start a new job. Watch what others do and let their actions and behaviors guide you towards a better start at your job. Here are a few examples:
- Pay attention to your surroundings inside the building. Situational and environmental awareness help you physically navigate the halls of your office and socially navigate the ever-changing workplace cultures.
- Take note early on of where the conference rooms are so you’re not scurrying around the building at 9:59 for a 10:00 meeting
- Pay attention to conversations as early as possible. As you do, personalities and interests naturally emerge. Do this with your team the first day you start a new job. What are their hobbies? How did their weekend go? Do they ski? Do they have kids? What are their music preferences? Even if you only listen at first, and don’t participate in the discussion, you’ll learn so much about them.
- Get into a rhythm of recognizing patterns in human behavior. When do people take breaks? Where do they go? How long is lunch?
- Lastly, don’t break company policies and rules; this means you need to know what they are, so study them. Don’t harass, don’t belittle, don’t participate in gossip, and don’t waste the company’s time.
6. Hold your tongue.
We all know someone who is quick to lash out and speak their mind before thinking it through.
My sister refers to this as, “diarrhea of the mouth.”
(sorry for the mental picture)
Maybe you’ve been there too, where you’ve taken offense to a comment or design critique and say something harsh before gathering your thoughts. There are times when you need to be bold and assertive, and other times when you need to simply shut your mouth.
Learning to hold your tongue shows self-control and provides you extra time to formulate a proper response…one that won’t get you fired.
7. Hmm…I don’t know.
It makes my skin crawl when I hear somebody say, “I don’t know”, followed by silence. Get up off your chair. If you don’t know something when you’re asked, go find out. Ask around to find the answer. Send some emails… for the love of all things good and holy, if you don’t know, please let the other person know that you’ll find the answer.
There will be times, many many times, when you legitimately don’t have the answer to a question or get caught off guard. Coworkers are totally okay with that, so long as you demonstrate the willingness and ability in those instances to seek answers through communication.
Rant end.
Common sense.
8. Trust your gut.
Rather than getting caught up in a bunch of conscious reasoning, trust your gut. You’ve got this. Trust that little feeling you get inside that something is right or wrong. You’re a professional the company hired to do a job. Intuition and instinct come from what you feel within and from the experience you bring to your role.
Giving way to internal trustworthiness is a foundational building block to personal progression.
Think of our intuitions as a compass and the world as a vast land dotted with areas of high magnetic resonance. The compass is invaluable in certain areas and, corrupted by the magnetic field, misleading in others. One of the most important tasks of professionals is to draw a map for ourselves, so we know when to trust the compass and when to put it away. ~ Al Pittampalli, Psychology Today
Let your intuition act as a compass that you pull out of your pocket when the time is right and learn to trust your gut.
9. Do what you say you’re going to do.
Want someone to respect you for who you are and what you’ve been through? Do what you say you’re going to do. It’s called integrity and it has the power to put your individual character on full display in another’s person’s eyes.
Jimmy Carter, 39th U.S. President, provided us with this little gem:
“We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles.”
Showing integrity or the lack thereof exposes who you are the core; it is a clear, unmistakable, undeniable window into the “real you”.
10. Do your best to stay healthy.
A healthy you is a creative you. I don’t know if you’re like me when you’re running on two hours of sleep, but I’m cranky and don’t want to be bothered. Bring your best, healthiest, well-rested self to work. Gaming until 2:30 AM is going to catch up to you. Get enough rest. Eat healthy foods. Exercise throughout the week.
Naps are good. If your breakroom has space, take a quick power nap during lunch or head out to your car to catch a few zzz’s.
Lastly, I know it can be a tricky subject to talk about coming to work when you’re sick, but at least let the thought run through your head if you’re feeling ill. Should you go in? Could you be contagious? Would you be more productive the next day if you stayed home and rested? Do you need to schedule an appointment with your doctor?
Just think about it at least.
11. Hygiene.
Something needs to be said here about hygiene too. I’m a male, and I’ve only ever used the men’s restroom at work, but I notice way too many people come into the bathroom, use the facilities, and then never wash their hands.
Yes, I’m weird. I notice when people don’t wash their hands.
What’s more, I’ve witnessed these same people exit the restroom and immediately shake another’s hand on more than one occasion. Maybe it’s because I’m constantly telling my three boys to wash their hands at home, but please, wash your hands. It’s the sanitary, kind thing to do.
12. Wait your turn!
Look. When you press the elevator button and the elevator comes to you, there’s a good chance there will be someone else on it. It’s polite, common courtesy, and common sense to wait your turn and let them get off first. Please don’t barge your way onto the elevator as soon as the door opens.
I see this all the time in elevators, light rail stations, and subways. Waiting those couple extra moments isn’t going to kill you.
13. Meetings & conference room etiquette.
I’ll never forget sitting through a meeting a few years ago with my development team. I watched as our developer drew a fantastic, thorough and elegant journey map of a process we were trying to tackle. It was immaculately done and quite frankly, a work of art to behold.
When the meeting ended and we agreed on action items, we left the room. A minute or two later, the developer realized he should probably go back and take a photo of the journey map to capture notes and key details. To his amazement, the next group was already in the conference room and had already erased the flow from the whiteboard.
It was gone.
I felt bad for him. He was pissed. It was a lot of work and now we’d just have to operate on memory on the drawing.
At the very least, take a photo of the whiteboard. After the meeting, see if you can determine whether or not the photo is needed. If not, cool, erase it. If you don’t have the ability to take a photo, ask around first to see if it can be erased.
Don’t leave conference rooms a mess. Push your chair back in, clean the area you were sitting in, and throw away your trash. Do a little cleanup and leave the room better than how you found it.
During a meeting, don’t bring your laptop unless it’s needed. If you happen to have it with you, keep it closed. Don’t continue checking your watch or phone during meetings either. It sends an immediate, clear message that you’re mentally checked-out and have something else running through your head, other than the meeting.
14. Respect personal space.
Most developers and designers I’ve worked with over the years love to collect nick-nacks and trinkets to put on their desks.
Don’t mess with people’s belongings. Sure, a practical joke here and there isn’t going to hurt, but don’t break people’s things. If something happens by accident, let them know, and do everything in your power to resolve it.
You’re gonna create some seriously bad rapport for yourself if you break something of theirs and never follow up with the person to ensure you’ve resolved the incident.
Along with their belongings being very personal, people also have their personal space that should be respected as well. Don’t stand too close to people. It feels awkward and makes the other person feel uncomfortable. If someone isn’t respecting your personal space, resolve it with them, management, or HR.
15. Keep on task and keep the noise down.
I worked on a certain product team for a couple of years and it felt like we were all brothers and sisters. There was trust, integrity, and ownership over the product like nothing I had ever experienced before.
Because of the closeness, there was also a lot of talking, joking and having fun. At times, we’d get distracted and get a little off course. To remedy this, our team devised two keywords to reign us back in if we were veering off track.
- Oklahoma! — If the conversation took a tangent from the subject at hand, all that needed to happen was for someone on the team to say this word, and it worked beautifully. We’d bring the discussion back to center and stay on point… at least for a while.
- Wa–“shhh”–ington — If we were too noisy, someone used the word Washington, elongating the “shhh” so as to let the group know they were being a little bit too noisy and needed to quiet down.
It was a simple, common-sense approach to stay on track. Yes, you’re going to have some fun at times, please do… but learn to recognize when you’re too off track or being too loud. Others on the team or in the company likely just want to work and aren’t able to because of the distractions.
If you have to take a personal call on your cell phone, consider your audience. Don’t move away from your desk only to stand next to someone else and distract them with your loud call.
Conclusion
Throughout this article, you might have noticed a trend. Many of these common-sense tips can easily fit under the umbrella of recognizing and appropriately responding to social cues. Simply observe another’s body language, facial expressions, tone of voice and choice of words and you’re well on your way to understanding how that person is doing.
But… it must not stop there. While these cues are obvious to some, they’re most definitely not obvious to others. Arrogance, pride, status, rank, position and privilege are taking precedence over common courtesy and common sense.
Like UX principles and methodologies, we have to evangelize these social behaviors and call out the bad ones. To affect the experience others have of us and to provide them a stellar UX deliverable (you), common sense must make its way inside the workplace — and it begins with me and you.
In what other ways might we use common sense in the workplace? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your ideas, rants, suggestions, etc. in the comments!
