Culture - Intertwingled: Information Changes Everything - page 76

Cultural Fit
In the 1990s, as co-owner and CEO of a consulting practice, I hired and managed several dozen
employees. Mostly we got it right, but once in a while we hired someone who didn't fit. The con-
sequence of a cultural mismatch is often compared to an immune system response. It's not a bad
analogy. The first symptom is inflammation. This pain is followed by isolation of the foreign
body. But in organizations, there's no need to destroy the antigen. Few people endure outsider
status for long. They quit. At the time I thought there was something wrong with those people.
My enculturation was complete. Now I know it simply wasn't a good fit.
As a consultant for two decades, I've been a tourist in all sorts of cultures. I've worked with star-
tups, Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, Ivy League colleges, and Federal Government agencies
in multiple countries. My clients have included folks from marketing, support, human re-
sources, engineering, and design. Being exposed to diverse ways of knowing and doing is one of
the best parts of my work. But my interest runs deeper than cultural tourism. Over the years,
I've realized that understanding culture is central to what I do.
First, as an information architect, I must understand the culture of users. When I run a “usability
test,” evaluating the system is only half my aim. I also hope to uncover the beliefs, values, and
behaviors of the people who use the system. Before imposing my own theories, I want to see
how they define their world. What can we learn from their use of language and the way they
sort concepts into categories? Which sources of information and authority do they trust? What is
the meaning behind their behavior? For years, I've used lightweight forms of design ethno-
graphy as part of my user research practice. It's helped me to better understand and design for
oncologists, middle school children, university faculty, bargain hunters, and network engineers.
And, as the systems we design only grow more rooted in culture, I'm convinced we must dig
deeper into ethnography.
Second, as an outside consultant, I must understand the culture of the organizations for which I
work. Today's systems aren't only integral to the lives of users, but they are progressively part
of the way we do business. To improve user experience, it may be necessary to change the org
chart, metrics, incentives, processes, rules, and relationships. Connections and consequences run
all the way from code to culture. Software that doesn't work “the way we work” will fail like an
employee who doesn't fit. So we must also study and design for stakeholders. In my research, I
always interview a mix of executives and employees about roles, responsibilities, vision, and
goals. And I've learned that if I don't ask the right questions in the right way, or if I don't listen
carefully and read between the lines, I may mistake the surface for substance and invent a
design that won't fit.