Peace is waged with sticky notes: Mapping Real-World Experiences
Summary
In this talk, Jim shares his story of applying design thinking techniques and experience mapping to a very real-world problem: hate. He will explore the parallels between dealing with people caught up in business organizational silos and those emerging from violent extremist factions. Each group, whether in a business setting or not, will have their own language, tools, methods and perspectives. Jim will share his approach to communicating through design with these tricky questions to both C-Level executives to ex-violent extremists.
Key Insights
-
•
Former violent extremists often experience deep guilt and depression after leaving hate groups, making reintegration emotionally challenging.
-
•
No former extremists independently seek involvement in countering violent extremism; they are almost always approached by someone else.
-
•
Empathy and design thinking tools like experience mapping can be effectively applied to complex social issues beyond software design.
-
•
Arno McAlys, a former white supremacist leader, transformed through small moments of human kindness and the birth of his daughter.
-
•
Collaboration between former extremists like Arno and victims’ families like Partip Galaka can foster powerful reconciliation and shared purpose.
-
•
Youth service and mentorship programs, such as those by Serve to Unite, help keep young people out of hate groups by providing purpose.
-
•
Mapping the experience of former extremists reveals a journey from guilt to atonement rather than forgiveness or forgetting.
-
•
Designers’ ability to spot patterns and listen empathetically is critical for understanding complex human behavioral journeys.
-
•
Countering violent extremism focuses on counter-narratives and community engagement rather than armed conflict.
-
•
Including former extremists in CVE organizations leverages unique perspectives that can better explain and prevent hate-driven violence.
Notable Quotes
"That’s not who you are. You’re better than that."
"I feel like I helped to create the environment that that came from, so I certainly have responsibility."
"Forgiveness is not about forgetting or just getting over something, it’s about making a mission out of it."
"Our relationship is like a genuine brotherhood. We hang out almost every day."
"Most former extremists don’t come up with the idea of involvement themselves, somebody always approaches them."
"The journey is from guilt to atonement—not necessarily forgiveness—but being integrated into society."
"Experience mapping brought a new understanding that helped us draw former extremists into peace efforts."
"We as designers are expert pattern finders and observers of human behavior, which is key in this work."
"What we do can potentially be bigger than optimizing conversion rates; it can help build a more peaceful world."
"Waging peace with sticky notes is a metaphor for how small design tools can contribute to huge social change."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"If you said are you creative, I’m gonna say hell yeah."
Dr. Karl JeffriesThe Science of Creativity for DesignOps
January 8, 2024
"There’s been a huge convergence because everybody’s got a mobile device now and expects a certain kind of experience."
Amy MarquezINVEST: Discussion
June 15, 2018
"Visualizing data in a way executives can interpret is key to shifting from I think to I know."
Steve Portigal Chris Chapo Kelly Goto Christian RohrerDiscussion
May 13, 2015
"Splitting people’s allocation across different teams created work-life balance issues requiring more oversight."
Alicia MootyDesign Staffing Models
September 30, 2021
"UX should be a critical dependency, not an afterthought or checkbox on the to-do list."
Ana Maria Montero Barrantes Aditi Dhar Michelle Kaplan Nate Osborne Matt LaurenceThe Authentic UX Talent Show
January 8, 2024
"Stakeholders start demanding better digital experiences at work because they expect the same quality they have at home."
Lada Gorlenko Sharbani Dhar Sébastien Malo Rob Mitzel Ivana Ng Michal Anne RogondinoTheme 1: Discussion
January 8, 2024
"Research isn’t linear; it’s messy and modular, so your tools have to reflect that fluidity."
Sofia QuinteroThe Product Philosophy Behind EnjoyHQ
March 10, 2021
"Large companies demand certainty, but certainty is the opposite of innovation."
Laura KleinUnique challenges of innovation in enterprises
April 23, 2020
"Existing research repositories die at the bottom of slide decks; that’s why I started Everywhere to rethink how we manage insights."
Andrew MichaelBuilding a Product Insights Team
March 10, 2022
