My UX Writing Revelation: The Presence of Inherent Systems Thinking
How discovering The Four Simple Rules of Systems Thinking developed by Derek & Laura Cabrera shed light on the natural application of systems thinking in my UX writing endeavors.
Disclaimer: The posting on this site is my own and may not represent the Company’s strategies, opinions, or decisions.
Lately, I’ve been trying to be more disciplined about wearing glasses. I don’t enjoy wearing them because I’m adamant that I can still see things, albeit only from a closer distance. I feel I don’t need to see things that are way too far from me. It’s only when I suffer from headaches and my vision worsens that I start using glasses again.
With my glasses, I can finally see things clearer and brighter. I’m able to see things from afar, and everything feels — complete. It’s even comforting to know that things moving at night are not supernatural events.
Wait — why am I discussing my apprehension about wearing glasses?
Simple. I realized that my hesitation about wearing glasses mirrors the challenges I face when crafting copy as a UX writer. I tend to concentrate on specific viewpoints and ideas because I’m only able to look from a close distance, neglecting the fact that there are various ways and possibilities to address a problem if only I step back, put on glasses, and see the bigger picture.
So, where do I find the glasses for this purpose?
That’s when I came across Systems Thinking. Systems Thinking is said to be a ‘problem-solving’ approach that helps us understand how things influence one another and recognize the interconnectedness of things — to help us see the big picture. Just like glasses!
Intrigued, I delved deeper into Systems Thinking by participating in an online course from eCornell on Building Analytical and Emotional Intelligence with Systems Thinking.
The Four Simple Rules of Systems Thinking
Through this course, I learned about the Distinctions, Systems, Relationships, and Perspectives (DSRP) principles, which are part of the Systems Thinking method developed by Derek & Laura Cabrera. These principles are said to be the universal cognitive pattern connecting all aspects of systems thinking.
Quoting from Cabrera Research Lab:
- Distinctions: The differentiation between and among things or ideas;
- Systems: The organization of things or ideas into part-whole systems;
- Relationships: The connections between and among things or ideas; and
- Perspectives: The outlook on things or ideas from the perspective of other things or ideas.
Things? Ideas? Part-whole? I don’t get it. What do they mean?
Oh, I know, that’s exactly how I reacted when I first read them in the course. So, to help you better understand them (and to help me better absorb this as well), in this article, I’ll break down the application of the DSRP principles in my day-to-day job as a UX Writer.
Distinctions (D): Recognizing and Differentiating the Variety of Users
The rule of Distinctions is, “Any idea or thing can be distinguished from the other ideas or things it is with.”
In the course, an example was given using an apple. An apple can be distinguished in two ways. First, by describing every possible detail of the apple — its shape, color, taste, and texture — that differentiates it from other fruits. Alternatively, we can describe any other fruit in the universe except the apple. Both approaches are correct because, in both, we can distinguish apples from other fruits. It just depends on the context.
To relate the concept to my job as a UX writer, I reflect on how I’m always dealing with a variety of user profiles, each with its unique traits. These users bring their expectations, preferences, and levels of tech familiarity, and it’s my job to shape the copy to connect with these diverse perspectives, making sure it’s relevant to a broad audience.
I’ve always known that a one-size-fits-all approach won’t cut it in crafting effective copy.
So, how do I do it?
You guessed it–by making distinctions.
As an example, at the beginning of 2023, I was involved in a project that focused on ancillary purchases after ticket issuance. At that time, customer inquiries regarding ancillary items after ticket issuance — such as baggage requests, seat selections, special meals, and priority check-in — were significantly high, despite providing an entry point on the e-ticket. To identify the problem, our Interaction Designer (IxD) conducted an In-Depth Interview (IDI) to understand how our users interacted with the e-ticket.
Long story short, it was shown that our users only focused on one area of the e-ticket and were less likely to explore the entirety of the e-ticket, especially when their intent of buying ancillary items was low or non-existent. Only later did they figure out that the entry points to purchase ancillary items existed on the e-ticket.
From there, I could distinguish between users who were unaware of the entry point and less likely to explore the e-ticket and users who were aware of the entry point and more likely to explore it. We can further simplify the differentiation between these user groups as A (users who were unaware) and not A (users who were aware).
By breaking down the distinctions, we can easily establish prioritization. Prioritization helps ensure that the design output speaks to and resonates with the expectations of the prioritized user groups. In this case, A is the prioritized user group, and not A is of lower priority and/or out of scope.
Systems (S): The Iterative Cycle of Creation, Testing, and Refinement
Systems, quoting from Cabrera Research Lab, shows us how a bunch of things or ideas can be organized into part-whole groupings.
How is it related to your occupation as a UX Writer?
When crafting copy, I actively initiate copy testing as a means of evaluation. For the same project, as an example, I explored different angles for the copy, testing it across various scenarios (e.g. when traveling in a group, which message resonates better for you?) to understand our user preferences. Upon identifying the preferred tone, I iterated the copy, tested it again to ensure its seamless integration into the e-ticket, and iterated it once more — creating a System.
The feedback gained through copy testing influences the next iterations and ensures the copy evolves to meet the expectations of our prioritized user group A.
To help you better visualize, the images above show the initial copy of the design (Image 5) and the final copy of the design (Image 6). In the beginning, I opted for a more dynamic copy, meaning I wanted the message to be tailored to the user’s journey timeline. However, after a series of testing and iterations, I finally settled on a static copy that ensures relevance at any point. So, regardless of their travel stage, users will find relevance in the copy.
Since its launch, the design has reduced the contact rate related to the purchase of ancillary items after ticket issuance, increased self-service extra baggage issuance, and enhanced the search and issuance of other ancillary items.
It shows that the series of feedback that I received was a part of the system that made my decision whole.
Relationships (R): Collaborative Systems Thinking
According to Cabrera Research Lab, relationships can be physical and tangible (e.g. a cord that delivers electricity to home appliances), physical but somewhat invisible (e.g. a magnet), or conceptual (e.g. the relationship between war and peace) and usually visualized with arrows or multiple lines.
Regarding the Relationships rule, I was also taught about bivalent and multivalent thinking. Bivalent thinking involves having two strong positions: right or wrong, on or off, guilty or not guilty, true or false, 1 or 0. On the other hand, multivalent thinking encompasses more than two outcomes. To put it simply, relationships are not always one-way or two-way. There can be many ways.
Relating this concept to my job, I immediately reflect on the dynamics of my team. In the same project as above, as an example, we constantly collaborate to reach a solution and in all our project discussions, we encourage each other to delve deeper, ask probing questions, and think on a broader scale. I collaborated with the IxD, the Visual Designer (VD), and other stakeholders involved in the project.
Rather than being confined to only limited possible answers (bivalent thinking), we consider limitless possibilities of answers (multivalent thinking). This means,
We consider things from various angles to arrive at the best possible solution and we consciously foster a culture that values and actively seeks diverse viewpoints.
Perspectives (P): Emotional Intelligence in UX Writing
Perspective, according to the Oxford Dictionary, is a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.
In the Cabrera Research Lab, they use Image 8 to illustrate that two angles on the same object can yield very different perspectives.
The same goes for all things and ideas. Similar to the concept of Distinctions, perspectives can be used to expand our thinking and include more options or to restrict our thinking and focus only on certain things. As an example, in each project, we always define what’s in scope and what’s out of scope. This helps us to focus and effectively reach a solution and/or consensus.
Other than that, diverse perspectives also taught us to enhance our emotional intelligence. Why?
Because it’s not always easy to hear differing opinions.
Reflecting on my journey as a UX Writer, the diverse perspectives of my fellow designers and users have helped me to become sharper and more empathetic. Personally, now, it’s imperative that I empathize and consider the diverse perspectives of our users.
By incorporating these diverse insights into the design, I crafted a more inclusive and emotionally resonant copy for our users.
Conclusion
Interestingly, discovering the DSRP principle did not exactly introduce a new approach to my work; instead, it made me realize that,
Systems thinking has always been apparent in my UX writing endeavors.
Rather than implementing a new approach, DSRP principles have helped me structure and articulate the intuitive processes that have been shaping my approach all along.
Learning about it feels so similar to wearing glasses. You need glasses to help you see because you can’t see clearly, but that doesn’t mean you can’t see. In this case, the DSRP principles act as the glasses that sharpen your intuition and approach to solving a problem. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t solve a problem without learning about it beforehand. You might get a headache without it, though! Haha!
But, just like Bob Ross once said,
“All it takes is just a little change of perspective and you begin to see a whole new world.”
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