Whether you’re willing to admit it or not, designers are in the business of shaping human behavior and perception. But until you learn to read minds, getting the design outcomes you want will remain a tricky thing. This presentation will help you turn the outside-in approach to designing perceptions, inside-out. Gain an intimate understanding of who you’re designing for by starting with what’s inside your own mind. Through the lenses of cognitive and educational psychology, find out what our brains really want, how motivation actually works, and why we do (or don’t do) the things we do (or don’t do).

1. Why we do
or don’t do
what we do
or don’t do.
michael.duah@gmail.com
@michaelduah
PHXDW 2012: here + now

3. Why we do (or don’t do)
what we do (or don’t do)

4. Why we do (or don’t do)
what we do (or don’t do)

5. Me: a brief case study

6. I’ve always had high
hopes for myself...

9. professionally or “as a
designer”
(picture of tanner
woodford)

12. spoiler aler t: I don’t
have an island or a PhD.

13. I’ve had my successes.

14. but,

15. I was a shitty
misguided student.

16. *
*approximate measurement

17. ok, so basically
EVERYONE.

19. but also for things we
really care about...

20. In the future:
we all want to be a
better .

21. WWD(ODD)
WWD(ODD)...

22. MOTIVATION.

23. MOTIVATION =
doing something

24. MOTIVATION ≠
inspiration, passion,
hope, personality

26. hang in there, buddy!

28. MOTIVATION =
doing something

29. MOTIVATION =
doing something
just play along with me...

30. you.

31. goal.

32. motivation: exer ting effor t
toward a goal

34. X

35. procastination: exerting
effort toward one goal
instead of another

37. 2 key perceptions:

38. “whether you think you
can or you can’t...

40. lose 25
pounds

41. lose 1 pound

42. “whether you think
you can or you can’t
—you’re right.”
Henr y Ford, cognitive researcher crotchety tycoon.

43. second,

44. :
WIIFM? $

46. note:
this is the lamest slide
in the presentation,
I swear.

47. attainment
designer black turtleneck

48. value
:
$
expectancy for
success

49. the magic equation:

50. expectancy (for success)

51. expectancy (for success)
X

52. expectancy (for success)
X value (for the task)

53. expectancy (for success)
X value (for the task)
MOTIVATION.

54. expectancy
high
value
low high
low

55. expectancy
high
BOREDOM
value
low high
low

57. expectancy
high
BOREDOM
value
low high
ANXIETY
low

58. Why we do
or don’t do
what we do
or don’t do.
michael.duah@gmail.com
@michaelduah
PHXDW 2012: here + now

59. expectancy
high
BOREDOM “FLOW”
value
low high
ANXIETY
low

60. perfect concept

62. expectancy
high
ANXIETY “FLOW”
value
low high
NOPE. BOREDOM
low

63. medieval poetry

64. Q:

65. Q: Where do they
come from?

66. A: Your past...

67. WHAT.
events
people
experiences
culture
etc.

68. WHY.
reasoning
analysis
WHAT. attributions

69. WHY.
WHAT.
WHO.
self concept
self efficacy
hopes/fears
dreams...

70. WHY.
WHAT.
WHO.

71. past present future

72. it’s that simple.*

73. some bad news:

74. *it’s not that simple.

75. changing behavior
is tricky.

76. WHY.
WHAT.
WHO.

77. change gets
harder the
farther you go
back...

78. gigantic brains
this is your brain...

82. think of it like this:

83. WHY.
WHAT.
WHO.

85. the good news...

86. or,

87. “what this all had to do
with design, anyways:”

88. these perceptions...
past present future

89. are just perceptions.

90. here + now.

93. In the future:
we all want to be a
better .

94. here + now.

95. here + now.

97. Trust me. I finished
this presentation this
afternoon...

100. here + now.

101. Here + now, I am a
better learner.

102. Here + now, I am a
better co-worker.

103. Here + now, I am a
better designer.

104. Here + now, I am a
better citizen.

105. Here + now, I am a
better husband.

106. Here + now, I am a
better thinker.

107. Here + now, I am a
better hugger.

108. Here + now, I am a
better uncle.

109. Here + now, I am a
better lover.

110. Here + now, I am a
better flosser.

111. Here + now, I am a
better failure.

112. Here + now, I am a
better dreamer.

113. Here + now, I am a
better BFF.

114. Here + now, I am a
better forgiver.

115. Here + now, I am a
better Valentine.

116. Here + now, I am a
better taxpayer.

117. Here + now, I am a
better booty-shaker.

118. Here + now, I am a
better cheerleader.

119. Here + now, I am a
better storyteller.

120. Here + now, I am a
better man.

121. Here + now, I am a
better human being.

122. Here + now, we are
all better people.

123. Why we do
or don’t do
what we do
here + now.
or don’t do.
michael.duah@gmail.com
@michaelduah