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RailsConf 2019 - Walking A Mile In Your Users' Shoes by Jameson Hampton

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Developing apps for users in different demographics is inherently differently than developing apps just for ourselves and for other programmers. Understanding the needs of our users and learning to foster empathy for them is just as much of a skill as learning Rails or ActiveRecord — and it’s a skill that’s relevant to all developers, regardless of their ability level or rung of the career ladder.

#railsconf #confreaks

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### Summary of 'Walking A Mile In Your Users' Shoes'
The talk by Jameson Hampton at RailsConf 2019 focuses on the importance of empathy in software development. Hampton emphasizes that developers need to understand the needs and experiences of their users, which requires looking beyond technical skills and recognizing the diverse backgrounds of those for whom they are building applications. This is especially important in industries with varying user demographics and technical know-how.

#### Key Points Discussed:
- **Introduction of Empathy**: Hampton introduces the concept of empathy as essential for developers, equating it with technical skills like proficiency in Rails or ActiveRecord.
- **Three Types of Empathy**: The speaker outlines three types of empathy:
  - **Social Empathy**: Sensing how others feel.
  - **Cognitive Empathy**: Understanding another's perspective.
  - **Empathetic Concern**: The desire to help when identifying a problem.
- **Audience Diversity**: Using demographic data from sources like Stack Overflow, Hampton highlights the homogeneity in tech fields compared to other industries like agriculture, stressing the need for better representation.
- **Real-World Experiences**: Hampton shares experiences from a project with Meta Cap, an app designed for use in developing countries that helps prosecute sexual offenders. He discusses unexpected challenges like a lack of resources and different user experiences due to unfamiliarity with technology.
- **User-Centric Development**: Describes his work at AgriList and the importance of understanding farmer needs by visiting farms, gathering user requirements, and the necessity of creating a product that is intuitive for them. 
- **Accessibility**: Emphasizes that accessibility is not an edge case but a core aspect of user experience that developers should consider seriously.
- **Importance of Technical Choices**: Hampton argues that simple, clever solutions can often provide more value than merely complex technical implementations.

#### Significant Examples:
- **Meta Cap Project**: Illustrates challenges faced when developing a solution for an unfamiliar user base in a different country, emphasizing the need for empathy and firsthand understanding of user conditions.
- **AgriList Application**: Details features built based on direct interactions with farmers, showcasing how understanding their daily realities led to better product design.

#### Conclusion and Takeaways:
- Developers must cultivate empathy for their users, which will not only improve the applications they build but also foster a more profound understanding of varied human experiences.
- Meeting users in their natural environments can lead to better insights that substantially affect product functionality and user experience.
- Simple and thoughtful design choices can greatly enhance usability, proving that the true value lies in genuinely understanding and serving the user’s needs rather than merely focusing on technical complexity.

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