Thinking Styles | Indi Young | Beyond Coding Podcast #57

Thinking Styles

In the realm of user experience, Indi Young introduces the concept of thinking styles, which shift focus from the "average user" to individual purposes. Unlike traditional personas, thinking styles are not defined by demographics or roles but by the philosophical approach to a purpose. Indi explains that thinking styles are flexible and can change based on context or life events, allowing individuals to switch between different styles as needed 1. She emphasizes that the core of a thinking style is its adaptability, which is crucial for addressing various purposes effectively 2.

A thinking style is a representation of a group of people that you get from data, but they are not described using demographics.

--- Indi Young

This adaptability makes thinking styles a powerful tool for understanding user behavior beyond surface-level characteristics.

   

Personas vs Styles

Indi contrasts thinking styles with traditional personas, highlighting the limitations of relying on demographic data. She argues that personas often fail to capture the full spectrum of human behavior, as they are typically based on quantitative data that can be biased and incomplete 3. Instead, thinking styles focus on the individual's purpose and how they interact with their environment to achieve it. Patrick Akil notes that this approach shifts the focus from users as mere data points to humans with unique goals and experiences 4.

Personas are fine for marketing, but developing a relationship with a brand is not trying to understand somebody as they accomplished or addressed their purpose.

--- Indi Young

This perspective encourages a more holistic understanding of user needs and behaviors.

   

Discovering Styles

The process of discovering thinking styles involves collecting qualitative data to understand interior cognition, which includes inner thoughts, emotions, and guiding principles. Indi explains that this data is used to create opportunity maps and identify patterns in how individuals approach their purposes 5. She stresses the importance of framing research by purpose to ensure the data collected is valid and useful for stakeholders 6.

When you frame by a purpose, that gives you the opportunity to hear from many people about their interior cognition as they addressed the same purpose.

--- Indi Young

This method allows for a deeper understanding of user behavior, moving beyond superficial metrics to uncover the motivations and principles that drive actions.