Robots vs. Humans Round 2: Listening
Another human activity that can help you stand out from the robots
Pre-article note: I took last week off to celebrate the birth of my newborn niece! During that time off I observed that I passed the 100 subscriber mark. To many 100 subscribers might not seem like that many people. For me, I can barely fathom the idea of 100 plus people being interested in my writing so I thank each and every one of you for the time and interest you dedicate to this blog!
Now on to the show!
A couple of weeks ago, I initiated a mini three-part series on how we, as humans, can distinguish ourselves from the AI overlords encroaching on our work lives. In the first post, I emphasized empathy as a genuine human trait that robots have yet to replicate meaningfully.
I believe a close cousin of empathy is listening, and that's what today's article will focus on. In fact, true empathy cannot exist without listening. (I also acknowledge that listening is just one component of empathy, but you have to start somewhere.) I recall my father's lectures from my youth when he would ask me, "Are you listening to me, or are you just hearing me?" As a young man, I had no idea what he meant, but as I've gained more life experience, I've come to understand his point.
Hearing is a passive activity, simply acknowledging and accepting audio transmissions. Listening, on the other hand, demands active mental engagement. "Active listening" requires the listener to participate actively and thoughtfully respond to the communication they receive.
You may have already guessed that AI can hear – it hears your text inputs, and Alexa hears your weather inquiries when you shout at it. However, true listening is a skill possessed only by you and your fellow humans.
Listening is a crucial tool in most professions and life situations, but it plays a particularly significant role in the realm of human-centered design. You must listen to the people who will use your service or product, enabling you to meet them where they are and collaborate to overcome the barriers they face when using your offering.
You also need to listen to your business stakeholders to genuinely comprehend how improving product or service delivery can enhance the health of the organization you work for.
Listening to your colleagues is essential for collaboration and creating optimal solutions for the people you aim to serve.
In short, working in human-centered, UX, or service design spaces is impossible if you can't or aren't willing to actively listen.
If you find it challenging to engage actively and listen to those around you, here are a few tips to enhance your listening skills:
Take Notes: I don't mean you should transcribe every word during a user interview or stakeholder conversation. Instead, jot down keywords or phrases from the conversation. This practice helps you stay engaged and participate actively. Consider this quote from the Field Notes brand: "I'm not writing it down to remember it later, I'm writing it down to remember it now." Remember this when conversing with someone; most people appreciate the effort of noting key points.
Playback: If you can't take notes, listen with the intention of playing back what you hear. Playback involves repeating and then responding to what the speaker said. It moves the conversation forward and shows that you're actively listening.
Speak Less: The most common conversation mistake is waiting for your turn to talk. We're all guilty of this at times. However, constantly interjecting with your thoughts can hinder active listening. Keep in mind that brevity can convey strength and experience. Unnecessary chatter often betrays insecurity. I'm not suggesting awkward silence, but use pauses to collect your thoughts and avoid constantly waiting for your turn to speak.
By merely hearing what people say, you're as valuable a listener as AI or a voice chat device. However, if you invest the time and effort to actively listen, you can distinguish yourself from both robots and many other humans.
My favorite things of the week
For all my brand/visual identity designers out there, I recently stumbled on the website rebrand which is basically an inspiration gallery of all the latest and greatest rebrands that have come to fruition in the world.
I think the quote in the image below is a good reminder that people are interacting with services and experiences whether they are well designed or not.
This short article by Noel Franus can provide good food for thought if you’re someone who is conducting design research.
If you’ve known me or have followed me for a while you know that I am a huge fan of the design sprint. That being said I love reading articles like this one by Kevin Richard. If you have never been a fan of sprints I imagine that this article will validate some of your apprehensions. But if you have been a sprint proponent this article should challenge you in a postive way that leads to you building better support around the design sprints you either facilitate or take part in.
Finally for those of you like me that are struggling with impostor syndrome or if you are someone that is consistently too hard on yourself. I leave you this little chart that ADP list posted on LinkedIn the other day as food for thought for the weekend.