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Summary
Trauma is a pervasive, universal experience – no less than 75% of the world’s population and 90% of Americans report experiencing at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, with four or more being the norm. There are 11 types of trauma, including individual, interpersonal, collective, and historical experiences like cancer, abuse, racial discrimination, and war. It is also experienced second-hand when someone witnesses or hears about another’s traumatic experience. Without considering the context of trauma, UX professionals may be missing opportunities to gain more customers and allies. Instead, they may be accidentally harming others or pushing them away. This is especially true for researchers, designers, content moderators, customer support workers, and others directly interacting with users and their experiences. Is your work recreating the dynamics of abuse? And could you be harming not just your users but yourself and your team in the design process? Trauma-informed technology experts Carol Scott and Melissa Eggleston provide a high-level overview of trauma-informed research and design as well as harmful practices common in the design, product, and tech environments. They give a real-world example of how UX professionals may undermine their own goals by ignoring the context of trauma. Carol and Melissa also discuss how AI and emerging tech could be trauma-informed from conception. Gain a trauma-informed perspective to improve your work and receive resources for further learning. Takeaways Develop an initial understanding of trauma and trauma-informed approaches, including the theoretical, practical, and research-based underpinnings. Deep exploration of secondary trauma, why it’s relevant for UX professionals, and how to mitigate it for sustainable careers. Apply a trauma-informed approach to AI and emerging technologies research and design.
Key Insights
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Trauma is a universal experience affecting individuals across the globe, with up to 90% in the U.S. experiencing at least one traumatic event.
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Understanding that trauma is individualized and impacts everyone differently is crucial for effective user design.
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SAMHSA's six guiding principles form the foundation for trauma-informed practices: safety, trustworthiness, peer support, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural humility.
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Secondary or vicarious trauma can affect those working in research who come into contact with traumatic stories.
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Avoiding retraumatization is essential, and creating emotionally safe spaces can significantly impact user experiences.
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Trauma-informed design can result in better user engagement and outcomes, supporting both ethical obligations and business success.
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Self-care for professionals is vital in maintaining one’s ability to effectively support others experiencing trauma.
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Cultural, racial, and generational traumas require specific attention in user design to prevent overlooked impacts on marginalized communities.
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Empathy in design must recognize diverse user experiences without making assumptions based on one's lived experiences.
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Dynamic collaboration in research and design processes, prioritizing user voices, enriches the development of trauma-informed products.
Notable Quotes
"Trauma is a universal experience that humans have been dealing with since we existed."
"Right now, it's particularly important because the world is in turmoil."
"We are trying to prevent retraumatization, which occurs when someone is reminded of a trauma and relives it."
"Research shows that at least 70% of the globe has experienced a traumatic event."
"We often think trauma has to be catastrophic, but it can be much smaller and diverse than that."
"The trauma-informed approach is a harm reduction approach; it doesn't have to be perfect, but we can make baby steps to do better."
"An empowered user can advocate for themselves and make choices that suit their needs."
"When people have traumatic experiences, it changes how they see the world."
"You can't design a product if you don't have people who want to do the work."
"Trauma-informed design isn't just a moral compass; it's also good for business."
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