85% of the Time

I had some time to kill after a meeting in New York a few weeks ago and popped into Rizzoli’s to meander through architecture coffee table books. Found among the gorgeous, heavy books that would cease to fit in carry-on luggage I found a tiny listicle of a book: 101 Things I Learned in Urban Design School.

A title like that suggested How To For Dummies. But it nonetheless helped shape the way that I think about parts of my work and the application of design principles to help make whatever we are making, better.

Starting with page two: You’re 85% like everyone else 85% of the time.

“By examining your own behavior in urban places, you can learn much about what works for others and why. Do you favor walking on some streets over others? […] Do you take one route to your friend’s house and a different way home? […] Can you identify specific attributes of these places that influence your actions and experiences?” — 101 Things I Learned in Urban Design School, Frederick & Mehta.

Putting yourself in the position of the consumer is too often the responsibility of the lone strategist in the room. Their opinions are shaped by research, data, trends, insight etc. etc. Their opinions have credibility whilst “me-search” or focus groups of one are denigrated.

But there’s something to the infusion of empathy into the practice of planning that data or insights can’t replicate. Empathy — the ability to understand or share the feelings of another — requires that you try to place yourself in their position. Empathy can’t be transferred, it needs to be felt by everyone touching the work.

So, when interrogating an idea. Ask yourself: Why would you do, think or feel something? There isn’t a right answer, but the wrong answer is: because I love this brand!

If you would do, think or feel something — ask yourself “why.” Interrogate it, be realistic and honest with yourself. Maybe you have to know for yourself before you can answer for the consumer.

ps. What’s an alt for “consumer” / “audience” that isn’t “person” / “people”. The former feels icky and the latter isn’t illustrative enough.