Ever wondered how the concept of "going with the flow" impacts your work or how your team comes up with ideas? Well, let's dive into the world of Social Proof and see how it's playing a bigger role than you might think, especially in design and innovation. Imagine you're in a room where everyone's nodding along to the same old ideas because, hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? Wrong. This mindset can really put a damper on creativity and innovation. In my journey, I've learned that it's important to take initiative. Even if it seems unconventional. Whether it's introducing new features or promoting bold ideas, we need to challenge status quo in a user-centric way. So, are you willing to understand Social Proof to your advantage? Are you willing to break free from BAU, and genuinely prioritise user-centred design? Let's get into how we can turn the tide, encourage fresh thinking, and maybe even lead the charge in redefining norms.
We've all heard how great Social Proof is as a UX pattern. But have you ever stopped to reflect how it might be hurting your or your team's innovation? Think for example of Social Proof within your professional/social dynamics of the organisation you work for. In this context, Social proof is to regard an action as correct based on authority (HiPPO) or based on whether competitors have implemented certain features in their products. Additionally Social Proof wields a formidable influence over how far designers can innovate and are perceived. It can also help to leverage support within their organisations. Through the lens of my professional experience and reflection, this post is about the nuances of social proof and their impact on designers.
'The principle of social proof. It states that one means we use to determine what is correct is to find out what other people think is correct.'
At the heart of design and innovation influence lies the challenge of leveraging social proof to assert one's vision and expertise. My experience at some companies I worked for, show how to use social proof to keep design integrity. I refer to this as objection management–a friend calls it manufacturing consent. This deliberate strategy is about building cross-functional relationships and feed-forward loops*. It's not a manipulative strategy, but a foundational element of professional success.
CALLOUT: 💡| * A feed-forward loop is an activity such as a stakeholder-interview or listening round that synthesises the needs or wants o stakeholders before on-tools design work has been done. This flips the concept of feedback in design. Ask yourself what kind of activities can you do in order to reduce or eliminate the feedback altogether.
But sometimes objection management, is not enough. Enters 'Wisdom of the Crowds' a.k.a. 'Best Practices'.
The reliance on 'best practices' often stifles innovation. 'Best practices' promote a solution-centric pragmatism. This renders user research and or data-informed approaches as "nice to have". While this can be an indication of leadership's reluctance to challenge the status quo, innovate and explore the unknown, it might also be due to the designer's inability to communicate the need for user-centric opportinities.
'In general, when we are unsure of ourselves, when the situation is unclear or ambiguous, when uncertainty reigns, we are most likely to look to and accept the actions of others as correct.'
A couple of experiences I had first hand in different industries, illustrate the role of social proof in shaping design decisions. I led a full blown buying journey research project. After the project was done, we proposed an innovative feature during the early stages of the buying journey. The feature was met with skepticism. The reason for the skepticism was that if major players in the industry had not adopted such feature, then was deemed unnecessary. Fast forward today, both companies, the leader and the runner up I was working for, adopted such feature. This example validated the strategic importance of pioneering ideas and overcoming the inertia of social proof. But what happens when social proof affects us tactically?
The phenomenon of 'pluralistic ignorance,' where collective uncertainty leads to inaction, further complicates the concept of social proof. Organisations that prioritise 'best practices' over genuine user centricity exemplify this challenge. I'm a huge fan of facilitating collaborative design workshops. And this one time in my recent past, such workshop revealed what happens when pluralistic ignorance is overcome. A junior designer made an innovative concept in a workshop, which he never handed in. After the session, he approached me, and shared with me, thinking it was "too out there". He had devised a new and amazing UI pattern that felt familiar and intuitive but hadn't been used elsewhere. Pluralistic ignorance predicts that when our work is "too out there" we might think twice before showing it to others, due to fear of ridicule and quick dismissal of the work. However, this particular experience emphasizes the importance of divergent thinking. It also warns against conforming to the opinions of the loudest voices in the room.
We have explored in this post how social proof can dampen innovation. Now let's have a quick look at how it can dampen your career as a designer.
'Ah, uncertainty—the right-hand man of the principle of social proof.'
Throughout my career, observing leaders communicate and overcome professional challenges with assertiveness has been transformative. Some of the best examples have come from leaders that dress like creative people, and parrot business buzzwords with prowess. To me it's a black magic I haven't learned. What i've learned is to express professional judgments confidently. It has been a crucial step in my career. It has challenged the notion that introversion precludes leadership. My advice here is to double down on it. Try to imitate the buzzwordy, confident, creative types. Fake it 'til you make it. But remember that professional fulfilment and good design don't come from appearances. They come from authenticity and substance.
'The evidence it offers about how we should act is usually valid and valuable.'
Navigating your professional life while considering social proof requires active attention. This means adapting strategically while staying committed to user-centric design. My journey through design and innovation includes moments of failure, doubt and triumph. It goes to show how social proof can transform when used with integrity and purpose.
