52. Rethinking Users as Ecosystems (feat. authors Mike Youngblood and Ben Chesluk)
JUL 18, 202546 MIN
52. Rethinking Users as Ecosystems (feat. authors Mike Youngblood and Ben Chesluk)
JUL 18, 202546 MIN
Description
<p>Who do we really mean when we say “the user”? And who gets left out?</p><p>In this episode, Therese Fessenden chats with cultural anthropologists Mike Youngblood and Ben Chesluk, who are challenging overly narrow definitions of users in UX. They explore how systems thinking and anthropology can deepen our understanding of complex user ecosystems — and why rethinking “the user” is more important than ever.</p><p>About the speakers:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeyoungblood/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mike Youngblood (LinkedIn)</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminchesluk/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ben Chesluk (LinkedIn)</a></li></ul><p>About <em>Rethinking Users,</em> including some helpful resources and a link to purchase the book:</p><p><a href="https://www.rethinkingusers.com" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.rethinkingusers.com</a></p><p>Article about User Ecosystem Thinking:</p><p><a href="https://www.epicpeople.org/toward-ethnography-of-friction-and-ease-in-complex-systems" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.epicpeople.org/toward-ethnography-of-friction-and-ease-in-complex-systems</a></p><p>Mike & Ben’s other books:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-Companion-to-Practicing-Anthropology-and-Design/Spears-Miller/p/book/9781032374161?srsltid=AfmBOooluiue-BFh3JwfnBAUaR5fEGnOkQQJE77xyXR4njLEyoE4ucm6" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Routledge Companion to Practicing Anthropology and Design</a>, which includes Mike & Ben’s chapter on systems thinking in design anthropology, as well as many other chapters/contributors exploring the role of anthropology in design:</li><li>Ben’s book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Money-Jungle-Imagining-Times-Square/dp/0813541794" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Money Jungle</em></a> is an anthropological study of the redevelopment of New York City’s Times Square.</li><li>Mike’s book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cultivating-Community-Interest-Ambiguity-Mobilization/dp/0983447276/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=cultivating%20community%20youngblood&qid=1597421690&s=books&sr=1-1" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Cultivating Community</em></a> is an ethnographic study of a massive, grassroots social movement in rural India.</li></ul><p>Related NN/g Articles & Videos:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.nngroup.com/articles/personas-archetypes/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Personas vs. Archetypes</a> (article)</li><li><a href="https://www.nngroup.com/articles/why-personas-fail/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Why Personas Fail</a> (article)</li><li><a href="https://www.nngroup.com/videos/ethnography-ux/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ethnography in UX</a> (3-min video)</li><li><a href="https://www.nngroup.com/articles/contextual-inquiry/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Contextual Inquiry: Inspire Design by Observing and Interviewing Users in Their Context</a> (article)</li></ul>
