SDP-009. Let Users Undo Their Mistakes

Guy: Nine. Let users undo their mistakes. Welcome to the Service Design Principles on GuyWelcome to the Service Design Principles on Guy

Martin, joined by the author of the Service Design Principle series of books. Founder of theDesign Principle series of books. Founder of the

Swiss Innovation Academy and Service Design Practitioner The error corrected Daniela.Practitioner The error corrected Daniela.

Caitlin Otto

Daniele: had such a pleasure.

Guy: Hi. So each episode, as you know, we look at one of the principles from your book, Serviceat one of the principles from your book, Service

Design Principles. One, two, one. And today it's principle number nine. Let users undo theirprinciple number nine. Let users undo their

mistakes. So a lot of the work that we do in in service design and customer experience andservice design and customer experience and

things like these is about reducing friction. But here you're suggesting that sometimes addingBut here you're suggesting that sometimes adding

friction could be useful. So when does it make sense to add friction?sense to add friction?

Daniele: So a good example is when people are about to delete something which cannot beabout to delete something which cannot be

retrieved. You know, this is a very good example where we basically tell people, Are you reallywhere we basically tell people, Are you really

sure you want to do this? You know, in a perfect world where we want to smooth every experience,world where we want to smooth every experience,

you know, whenever you would click delete on your computer, it would just take it out, removeyour computer, it would just take it out, remove

it completely, not even put it in the trash. But no, we add friction because we know thatno, we add friction because we know that

sometimes we do things a little bit quickly and that's a good moment to do that. Another goodthat's a good moment to do that. Another good

example is I had this one once at LinkedIn. I was I don't know why. In a comment I wrotewas I don't know why. In a comment I wrote

something about Showers and LinkedIn before I, I wanted to click to send and then it said,wanted to click to send and then it said,

maybe just have a second thought about your post because we're trying to have conversations aboutbecause we're trying to have conversations about

professional stuff. And it was like, Oh, let me double check the did I write something that isdouble check the did I write something that is

that that shouldn't be on a professional network? Then it was like, Oh no, it's good. It was justThen it was like, Oh no, it's good. It was just

an image that I was giving with the word shower. But, but they had kind of this mechanism whichBut, but they had kind of this mechanism which

maybe showed looked for words like please shower naked, that this kind of stuff. And just notnaked, that this kind of stuff. And just not

saying you can't speak about that, but rather Are you sure? Are you sure this is a good moment?Are you sure? Are you sure this is a good moment?

Are you sure this is the right thing to do at that moment?that moment?

Guy: Right. But we don't want to be asked all the time. So it's contextual, right? That. Thatthe time. So it's contextual, right? That. That

this. This happens. Because if every decision, every click that we do, we're asked to confirmevery click that we do, we're asked to confirm

that. That it would drive people insane.

Daniele: And even it would drive another thing which you might remember that from Windows Vistawhich you might remember that from Windows Vista

back in the days where it asked so many times your permission, but people got into a modeyour permission, but people got into a mode

whenever there was a window, they just clicked, okay, you know, and then they don't even read it.okay, you know, and then they don't even read it.

So it's as you say, it's a good balance of knowing when is the good moment and having notknowing when is the good moment and having not

too many of those. And that's where the art of the resistance starts. You know, it's like therethe resistance starts. You know, it's like there

is no perfect formula to know how much is enough and you have to kind of be be empathetic of theand you have to kind of be be empathetic of the

situation.

Guy: Right. So one thing I noticed in some email clients is if I use the word attached orclients is if I use the word attached or

attachment, then and I don't attach something, then it will pop up and say, Oh, did you mean tothen it will pop up and say, Oh, did you mean to

attach a file because you've said this right? So it's saying, Here's something which I noticedit's saying, Here's something which I noticed

about the content of your message that you're saying there's an attachment, but there is nosaying there's an attachment, but there is no

attachment. So are you sure you want to send this without an attachment? But if I didn't putthis without an attachment? But if I didn't put

those words into the text, then it wouldn't ask me that question.me that question.

Daniele: And that's, you know, in a way, it goes even further than than the principle that weeven further than than the principle that we

just speaking about, which is let's use and do mistake, which is prevent people from doing themistake, which is prevent people from doing the

mistake,

Guy: Right.

Daniele: you know.

Guy: Yeah.

Daniele: Right. And, and I think there are kind of these two levels, you know, there is levelof these two levels, you know, there is level

one, which is making sure that people can even do stuff. And this is something that especiallydo stuff. And this is something that especially

in the digital world, you know, you have services where if you, for example, you read theservices where if you, for example, you read the

message, you can say, Oh, I read it. There are there are services where until I think one yearthere are services where until I think one year

ago Apple Messages was like that, you know, and I this is was very disturbing because you justI this is was very disturbing because you just

opened the message by by mistake and you were like, okay, now I will I will forget to comelike, okay, now I will I will forget to come

back to it. And so for digital services, this is kind of like the first level is having a way tokind of like the first level is having a way to

bring it back. Even if you delete something, maybe adding a few days of delay before youmaybe adding a few days of delay before you

delete it completely. You know, Facebook does that with your accounts. When you delete yourthat with your accounts. When you delete your

account, they're telling you, okay, we're going to delete it in 24 hours or in so many hours.to delete it in 24 hours or in so many hours.

Until then, you still can change your opinion. And so that's kind of like the first level. AndAnd so that's kind of like the first level. And

the second level, which you're talking about is a bit more. So again, now that we've done that,a bit more. So again, now that we've done that,

how can we prevent people from doing that kind of mistake?of mistake?

Guy: So it's not just undoing it? Yeah. It's the preventative is better than the cure.preventative is better than the cure.

Daniele: I think both is kind of like the sweet spot.spot.

Guy: Because I guess, you know, the there's. There's economics and where people are behavingThere's economics and where people are behaving

rationally. And then there's behavioral economics where people are behaving irrationallyeconomics where people are behaving irrationally

and people make mistakes. But I guess sometimes we design for the rational human as opposed towe design for the rational human as opposed to

the real human, which is is sometimes irrational. And some will make mistakes and So providingAnd some will make mistakes and So providing

that way to to back out of what they've done or, you know, corrects that mistake, I think thatyou know, corrects that mistake, I think that

it's the important thing. Y.

Daniele: And if we're speaking of behavioral economics, I think two terms that people willeconomics, I think two terms that people will

love to Google are one which is nudge and the other one which is rational, rational override.other one which is rational, rational override.

And these are basically two terms now just basically saying making things more users. Sobasically saying making things more users. So

that stuff happens and rational override is basically saying putting a stop so that peoplebasically saying putting a stop so that people

can't do something because before that they confirm it. For example, when you delete theconfirm it. For example, when you delete the

file, you have a rational override which is blocking you from what you were doing and theyblocking you from what you were doing and they

pay attention. Attention, You need to do something. And the nudge is, for example, yousomething. And the nudge is, for example, you

know, when I put the cookies not in the kitchen, but I put them in the cellar, but put somebut I put them in the cellar, but put some

apples on our kitchen table, this is a nudge. It's something where automatically I will go getIt's something where automatically I will go get

the apples. But even without thinking about it.

Guy: Right. Which kind of ties back to making it easy for you to do the right thing.easy for you to do the right thing.

Daniele: Yeah. And so that's and so that's kind of like the arts, like in the academic stuff. Soof like the arts, like in the academic stuff. So

if you want to go into, into the more academy stuff, it's like basically we need to know whenstuff, it's like basically we need to know when

is the good time to nudge people towards something and when is a good time to createsomething and when is a good time to create

rational overrides to block people. And that's where it's like where science meets the art.where it's like where science meets the art.

Guy: So this particular principle is a little bit about both. And. And that rational override.bit about both. And. And that rational override.

It's just the pause. It's allowing the the human brain, the rational brain to take over a littlebrain, the rational brain to take over a little

bit and say, Hang on, monkey. Just wait. Hang on, Mr. Lizard Brain. Just. Just wait a second,Mr. Lizard Brain. Just. Just wait a second,

because this could be important. Don't just go by instinct here. That could lead you astray.by instinct here. That could lead you astray.

Daniele: Yeah. So if we wanted to say it a bit more like academics, it would be use rationalmore like academics, it would be use rational

overrides sometimes because, you know, academics always add sometimes maybe...always add sometimes maybe...

Guy: "Depends. ". Yeah.

Daniele: it depends on the context

Guy: All right, great. Thank you very much.

Daniele: Thanks to you

Guy: See you on the next one.