In her work titled 'Time', Eva Hoffman quotes French scientist E. Morin, whose statement 'Death must be Copernicized' caught me for long moment. What Morin meant was: just as Copernicus examined Earth's relationship to the Sun quite blithely and skeptically, so we must examine the relationship between Death and human life. The interrelationship between time and the body being Hoffman's topic of interest, the quote is fitting.
What if, however, the statement applies to other things - what if the human experience of experience must be Copernicized? What if we need to step back from where we are right now, a world consumed by Pokémon Go and 140 character news bits, to objectively think about how and why we consume what we do, and strategize how we can better move about our lives?
User Experience Designers are charged with resolving a portion of this very question in the digital world, as they seek to uncover the most gratifying and seamless ways in which you and I can interact with a myriad of digital interfaces. And thought leadership around UX design is evolving: User experience consultant Andrew Grimes expands on the value of a digital experience that fosters not simply functionality, but also thought and reflection - a user experience that can be enriching and fulfilling: "[we] may need to shift...from looking at atoms of experience (pages, interactions, tasks), to looking at systems of experience (learning, becoming or adopting)".
When I conceptualize a system of experience, I think of a weave of resources, conversations, ideas and outcomes that bring together people or initiatives sharing a common (or several common) values and goals. In the process of such a weave, we're pushed to dispel our own assumptions and misconceptions about given topics or ideas. We're also pushed to engage authentically in different ways with others.
It would seem to me that creating a system of experience may be one way in which we can Copernicize, or step out of, our own realities or ways of doing. I am interested in learning how we can design real-life user experiences that are as seamless as the digital versions, and yet go one step further. In the glorious messiness of this life, how can we create synergistic systems of lived reality that allow us to engage authentically, challenge long-held assumptions, and create with impact, fulfillment and enrichment?
I am not the first person to ask this question, nor answer it, by any means. Lave and Wenger did a right fine job in advancing the concept of a Community of Practice long ago, which is precisely a system of experience.
Yet, perhaps we can think on this some more. Austin Kleon's Show Your Work is an ode to creating systems of social and human design/interaction, beginning with the simple act of sharing. In sharing, space is created for " fellowship, feedback or patronage".
To add to this mix, mindset is everything: when we (and not just artistic folk, who are the target of Kleon's work) come into moments with the mindset of an amateur, or 'curious outsider', we bring to the world a genuine blend of enthusiasm and focus. This simple shift in our way of being lends to greater openness in the face of uncertainty - leading the way to greater connection with others. Through such authentic connections, we can continue to create networks or systems of experience.
In his Ted talk on Creative Confidence, founder of IDEO David Kelley expands on the significance of engaging in creative work, work that demands a constant amateur mindset. Creativity allows us to reach out, make mistakes, approach one another, share, iterate, and ultimately collaborate with each other in ways that are simple, genuine and sustainable.
If intentional engagements with creativity can allow us to generate new forms of a lived 'user experience', leaving space for wonder, imagination, and innovation, my next unweildy thought, naturally, is:
Can we systematize the creation of systems of experience? We have design thinking workshops and the proliferation of all manner of design research methods, maker movements, and etceteras. Yet these currently exist in pockets or domains, if you will.
I wonder: if we want to create and harmonize systems of experience, what is the next right move in prioritizing and facilitating large-scale, intentional creativity?