Confidence doesn’t have to

In this week's episode, Jon Deragon, the Head of Design at FPT, the sponsor for today’s episode said something that clicked with me. (Thank you FPT for collaborating with CX Passport.)

What caught my attention wasn’t a technical explanation or a prediction about where AI is going. It was something much more human. AI introduces a lot of uncertainty for people who are just trying to get something done. New input types. New behaviors. New responses. Most folks won’t say it out loud, but a lot of this still feels unfamiliar. Sometimes even uncomfortable.

Jon put a clear voice to that feeling:

That idea of confidence stayed with me.

We spend a lot of time in CX talking about ease and simplicity. Those matter. But confidence works at a different level. Confidence is what lets someone move forward when the path isn’t obvious. It’s what keeps them from second guessing every tap or voice prompt or image upload. And in a world where AI is constantly shifting how people interact with products, confidence becomes the anchor.

The more I thought about Jon’s point, the more it felt like a useful lens for CX too. When customers enter unfamiliar territory, the experience isn’t successful because the technology is clever. It’s successful because the person feels steady. They feel supported. They feel like they’re on the right path even when the interaction is new to them.

If AI is introducing the unknown, design is what can make the unknown feel safe enough to explore.

Your Turn:

Where in your customer journey do people feel unsure, and what would it take to help them feel confident instead?

Put those tray tables up and buckle those seat belts. Let’s go!

-Rick

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What’s on tap this week?…

Host - Rick Denton Rick believes the best meals are served outside and require a passport

🎤🎞️“The One With AI Product Design … Jon Deragon in CX Passport Episode 241🎧 Listen on any Pod app

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