Everything we do in organizations, communities and education contexts, intended and not, impacts users of whatever we produce. We can narcissistically define our success on how well users comply with what benefits us. I would argue that the most sustainable and innovative approach positions the user experience as central to our success metrics. This is opposite to designing for our convenience and advantage.
This user centric perspective had us listening more deeply than ever to what users reveal as what actually would represent value to them. It means studying them in context, before, during and after their interactions with us and they we deliver to them. It means putting in perspective our assumptions and long held beliefs about them. It means radically making them not us experts about their experience even when our science seduces us into believing we are intrinsically smarter.
It means empowering everyone in the organization to interact and listen directly to users, whatever their position in the organization.
