# Humans

> A platform that helps you spot your own hidden biases, and learn how to challenge them.

Case study by Ian Hazelton. Web version: https://www.ianhazelton.com/work/humans

- **Discipline:** Research & product design
- **Scope:** Research, UX, UI, illustration
- **Role:** Research, design & testing
- **Collaborators:** Nazar Akrami & Robin Bergh, Uppsala University
- **Platform:** Web & app
- **Method:** Affect misattribution procedure (AMP)

## Outcomes

- **10** Participants in user testing
- **~50** Rounds before a bias can show
- **2** Associate professors of psychology

## The short version

1. **Introduction:** Two psychology professors wanted a better way to explore our hidden biases.
2. **The vibe:** Old VHS covers meet strict Swiss poster grids.
3. **AMP:** A focus point, a priming image, a mask and a target, all in a split second.
4. **User testing:** Ten people showed us what it takes before anyone will look at their own biases.
5. **Conclusion:** The professors were thrilled. It was far more than they'd expected.

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### Case study

![Project Humans on phones](https://www.ianhazelton.com/work/humans/cover.jpg)

## 01 · Introduction

**Two psychology professors wanted a better way to explore our hidden biases.**

I teamed up with two psychology professors at Uppsala University. My job was to research, design and test a new product for the web and phones, built on a well-established test called the affect misattribution procedure (AMP).

Early on, we talked a lot about where bias testing falls short, and about what we saw as real problems with the best-known one, the implicit association test (IAT). I turned all that into a code of ethics for the platform to be built on.

![Professor](https://www.ianhazelton.com/work/humans/professor-1.webp)

![Professor](https://www.ianhazelton.com/work/humans/professor-2.webp)

_Nazar Akrami & Robin Bergh, associate professors of psychology at Uppsala University._

> **Collaborators:** They kept a close eye on the test method, its timing, the images and the articles.

## 02 · The vibe

**Old VHS covers meet strict Swiss poster grids.**

I wanted it to feel timeless.

![Moodboard](https://www.ianhazelton.com/work/humans/moodboard.webp)

_Moodboard._

### Illustrations

I drew a lot of illustrations: one for each bias the articles cover, plus some for the brand.

### Illustrations

![Illustration 1](https://www.ianhazelton.com/work/humans/illustration-1.webp)

![Illustration 2](https://www.ianhazelton.com/work/humans/illustration-2.webp)

![Illustration 3](https://www.ianhazelton.com/work/humans/illustration-3.webp)

![Illustration 4](https://www.ianhazelton.com/work/humans/illustration-4.webp)

![Illustration 5](https://www.ianhazelton.com/work/humans/illustration-5.webp)

![Illustration 6](https://www.ianhazelton.com/work/humans/illustration-6.webp)

## 03 · AMP

**A focus point, a priming image, a mask and a target, all in a split second.**

After about 50 rounds, a bias may start to show. At the end you see your results and, most importantly, some reading to help make sense of them.

### The product

[Video: The AMP test](https://www.ianhazelton.com/work/humans/amp-test.mp4)

![Project Humans on the web](https://www.ianhazelton.com/work/humans/laptop-1.webp)

![An article on the halo effect](https://www.ianhazelton.com/work/humans/laptop-2.webp)

![Project Humans app screens](https://www.ianhazelton.com/work/humans/phones.jpg)

## 04 · User testing

**Ten people showed us what it takes before anyone will look at their own biases.**

We tested a rough but fully working prototype with 10 people. We picked people with a growth mindset who'd said they were into self-improvement. They taught us to put these first:

- Feeling safe and anonymous.
- Seeing the professors behind it.
- Learning, not judgement.

## 05 · Conclusion

**The professors were thrilled. It was far more than they'd expected.**

We used what we learned in testing to improve the product.

The project wrapped up well. Last time we spoke, they were looking for someone to build it.

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Part of the portfolio of Ian Hazelton: https://www.ianhazelton.com/llms.txt