#explainingthewhy

[techzans-blog]

From the Field: Explaining the "Why?"

The San Antonio team is doing user research in the field this week. Today we met with the Development Services team who helps homeowners get permits to improve their property.

"Why can't my fence be that high? Why do I need a permit for my shed?"

City staff's answer to questions like these can make or break a visit to the permit counter, or a call to the city's development call center.

There are a lot of rules about what can be done to a property. Some just make sense. Of course I should hire a professional electrician to wire up my house. Safety first, right?

But some are just plain weird. I need a permit to install a ceiling fan? Are you serious?

But staff, and the city in general, often don't know how to answer the question. And I don't blame them.

City development codes are weird, sprawling documents. Sections are added, rules change and restrictions are deleted all the time. Some common sense rules are created to keep everyone safe. Others are reactions to specific events in the city's history, sometimes long forgotten.

Why the "why" matters

Through our research, we've found that city employees who are best at answering the "why" question can create a really positive experience for the residents they want to help.

We've met code enforcement officers who really know how to explain why the rules exist. Leveling with residents really helped shaped the interaction: the users felt empowered, and the code enforcement officer felt understood.

Construction rules are just as confusing as property codes: substitute phrases like "minimum housing: exterior premises" for "typical setback for R6 front - 10ft".

Huh?

Its the never ending job of city staff to break these rules down, explain how they work and how to follow them. But its just as important to try and explain the "why".

-David