Be a Participator, not Just an Observer
In some recent reading (The Tao of Physics) John Wheeler is quoted:
Nothing is more important about the quantum principle than this, that it destroys the concept of the world as ‘sitting out there’, with the observer safely separated from it by a 20 centimeter slab of plate glass. Even to observe so minuscule an object as an electron, he must shatter the glass. He must reach in. He must install his chosen measuring equipment. It is up to him to decide whether he shall measure position or momentum. To install the equipment to measure the one prevents and excludes his installing the equipment to measure the other. Moreover, the measurement changes the state of the electron. The universe will never afterwards be the same. To describe what has happened, one has to cross out that old word “observer” and put in its place the new word “participator”. In some strange sense the universe is a participatory universe.
The Tao of Physics compares ideas in modern physics to those of Eastern Mysticism. The book is a great read for anyone interested in how science and religion (or mysticism) relate to one another.
For some reason, this really hit me as applicable to much more than just physics. In fact, I don’t really know anything about physics, so I am only really qualified to think about it from the perspective of what I know, and the things that I’ve participated in. When I look back, my most successful engagements, the best time I’ve had, and the best work I’ve produced, have come from the perspective of a participator, not from that of an observer.
In my work as a designer, I’ve often seen observation hailed as the “holy grail” of really understanding the customer. There is no doubt that these observation techniques (such as usability studies, contextual inquiry, etc) do work, and can produce excellent results. However; they only produce results based on the perspective of the observer. I found it almost hilarious to read a recent interview with Rolf Molich, a Danish Usability Expert where he stated that Usability Tests are not suitable for finding usability problems. In a study they found that only 25% of the usability problems found by different teams were the same. He suggests that “prevention” through heuristics and good design principles are more effective. The interview with Rolf Molich can be found via The Interaction Designer’s Coffee Break, a great source for Interaction Design discussion and topics.
To participate, requires observation skills. One must engage the senses, observing from several different perspectives at once. Participators are some of the best observers because they observe it from the position that matters. Participation is prescriptive, it requires that work gets done, it invents, it creates, it inspires, it makes your customers happy, and ultimately it will get you closer to a good solution than any amount of observation ever will. Engage in conversation with others, find out their frustrations and their desires, put yourself in their shoes so that you can experience and observe the world from their perspective.
I love the advice given by John Wheeler: break the glass, reach in , get your hands dirty, become a participator and not just an observer in everything you do.