Empathy is the first phase of the design thinking process. It is often described as putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. But what does that actually mean? How are empathy and sympathy different, and what can be done to foster empathy in a design team?
What is the Difference Between Empathy and Sympathy?
People often confuse empathy with sympathy. This is very easy to do because both are feelings and they are very close on what is called the Spectrum of Empathy. The first emotion is pity, which means feeling sorry for someone. The problem with pity is that it can be patronizing. Sympathy is the next emotion, and that means recognizing that someone is suffering. The problem with sympathy, however, is that there is still no connection between the sufferer and the observer. Empathy is the third emotion on the spectrum and it differs from the first two because when you feel empathy for someone, you are able to make a connection and put yourself in that person’s place. You can feel their pain, frustration, and needs. Compassion goes beyond empathy and involves not only a connection with a person’s hardship but a desire to do something about it.
Empathy in the Design Thinking Process
Empathy is the first phase in the Design Thinking process and it means setting aside your own beliefs to learn what the user’s world looks like. During this phase, the design team gets to know the user, and the best way to do this is through research. The first step in the research planning should be to define the goals of the effort, and those goals usually include Identifying the user’s pain points. These are problems users have accomplishing a goal; some they know about and some they don’t.
In this stage, don’t simply focus on user demographics and make assumptions. Instead, focus on the user’s feelings and motivations, and the way you identify those is through qualitative research. That can take the place of interviews using open-ended questions which lead to more useful information in terms of empathy than closed-ended (yes/no) questions. Other forms of qualitative research that can help build empathy include direct observation, contextual or environment inquiry, and diary studies.
After conducting research, the team can construct an empathy map. This is a tool to help you organize your research findings and create something your team can refer to throughout the design process. The traditional format for an empathy map is four squares labeled thinks, says, does, and feels with a circle in the center labeled user. The squares are filled in with the user’s responses and observations of the user’s behavior. Building empathy maps can remind the team of what the design is about as they move through the process.
Building Empathy
Empathy helps designers go beneath the surface of design problems and is just as important to the process as design tools. Here are some ideas for building empathy.
Empathy Starts at Home
Practice being more empathetic to the people around you. Make an effort to connect to others and understand how they are feeling.
Become a Good Listener
There is a difference between hearing and listening. Often when we think we are listening, we are only waiting for the speaker to finish so we can respond. To build empathy, UX Designers should practice active listening. Some aspects of active listening include the following:
- Pay attention and engage all of your senses.
- Look at the speaker and lean forward so they know you are really listening.
- Quiet any impulse to respond and fully listen to all of what they say, especially if you disagree. You are trying to get the user’s honest reaction. This isn’t about you.
Become a Good Observer
Sometimes users can’t tell you what bothers them about the design, so you have to watch them use it to find out. Interviews, context trials, and usability tests are good opportunities to observe users with the product. If you can’t see or talk to users, you can turn to tools like Google Analytics to study what users do on your site.
Ask Others for Input
If you are unsure if you are understanding another’s position, ask for feedback. Be mindful of the other person when asking and don’t surprise them. Be direct but polite and it is best to ask what they don’t like in the situation rather than what they like. Otherwise, it looks like you are seeking praise.
Remind Yourself That You Are Trying to Build Empathy
The point is to understand and make a connection with the user, not to push your own opinion or prove yourself right. Be humble. And keep in mind that complete empathy is impossible but seeking empathy is what is important.
Where to Learn UX Design
If you would like to learn more about UX design and research to switch to a new career, one of the best ways to do that is to sign up for classes. You can choose classes that meet in-person or online to learn design software and other applications. Some people prefer to attend brick-and-mortar sessions when learning new information, but that isn’t always available. Live online classes have a similar set-up with a real-time, remote instructor who can answer questions and take control of your monitor—with permission—to show you how to do things. Training is part or full-time and available weekdays, weeknights, or weekends.
The best way to prepare for a career shift to a field like UX design is to enroll in a bootcamp or certificate program. These are intensive training courses that run from a few weeks to a few months and another plus of training is that you will leave class with a professional-quality portfolio that you can show to prospective employers.
Conclusion
It’s easy to learn UX design and start a new career. Check out Noble Desktop’s UX design classes. Choose between in-person sessions in NYC at Noble’s location or sign up for live online UX design coursesand attend from anywhere. Use Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me to find other UX design bootcamps in your area.