Book Review: Time to Listen, by Indi Young

Time to Listen, by Indi Young

There’s a new movie coming to Netflix titled titled Average Height, Average Build. It’s from Adam Mckay, renowned for his bleakly comic masterpiece Don’t Look Up . His latest is described as part thriller, part comedy, that follows a serial-killer who audaciously manipulates political lobbyists to change laws in order to make it easier for him to kill.

But of course the title is a deliberate jab at those vague, practically useless descriptions of suspects we’ve seen over and over again in detective dramas. The irony is hard to miss – average is a mirage. After all, every one of us is unique, standing out in our own way.

And there we have a problem in the technology business. Many companies design products and services for the average user. They lean heavily on personas and demographic data, aiming their efforts at the broadest market segments. Yet, this one size fits all approach excludes a huge section of users and, in reality, doesn’t perfectly fit anyone. It neglects our unique needs, cognitive styles, and abilities. Designing exclusively for the middle of the curve alienates those on the edges, who don’t fit into the norm.

Indi Young, in her insightful new book Time to Listen, effectively shatters the myth of the average user. She presents compelling arguments on the benefits of deep listening to glean valuable insights into the diverse mental models and perspectives that shape user behavior. Recognizing the differences in how individuals process information and view the world can catalyze the creation of more inclusive solutions.

Products designed with a broad spectrum of cognitive approaches in mind can cater to a wider range of users, unlocking untapped markets and aligning more closely with people’s purposes. It also addresses an ethical concern – focusing solely on groups deemed average subtly devalues and disadvantages everyone else.

Indi critically dissects the prevalent product-centric mindset that often prioritizes business objectives over genuine human needs. She exposes the inadequacy of superficial user interviews, asserting the superiority of intentional and careful deep listening. Her book describes techniques to:

- Facilitate authentic sharing of mental models and perspectives

- Reveal assumptions teams didn't know they had

- Uncover hidden opportunities in overlooked markets

- Shape inclusive solutions that align with diverse thinking styles

Throughout the book, Indi shares hard-won insights from her 30+ year career researching and promoting ethical design. She pioneered opportunity mapping to visualize how solutions support (or fail to support) the ways people think. Her work focuses on empowering teams to move from rigid personas and demographics to truly getting people in all their complexity.

So, as you wait for the dark comedy of Average Height, Average Build, which no doubt all your friends will see, pick up a copy of Time to Listen, which perhaps few of your colleagues will have heard of. You’ll learn distinctive techniques and emerge with new perspectives. After all, you don’t to be merely average.