How can empathy help us create better Human Centred Design?

The Importance of Empathy in HCD

If you are interested in Human Centred Design (HCD), it is important to understand the role empathy plays in the design process.

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others.

In HCD, empathy is crucial because it helps designers understand the needs, wants, and desires of the people they are designing for.

This understanding leads to better design solutions that meet the needs of the users.

This guide is for anyone interested in HCD and wants to learn how empathy can improve the design process.

Research your users: Before you start designing, it is important to research your users. This includes understanding their needs, wants, and desires. You can conduct interviews, surveys, and observations to gather this information.
Put yourself in their shoes: Once you have gathered information about your users, it is important to put yourself in their shoes. This means understanding their perspective and seeing the world through their eyes.
Design for their needs: Use the information you have gathered and your understanding of their perspective to design solutions that meet their needs. This includes considering their physical, emotional, and cognitive needs.
Test your designs: Once you have designed your solutions, it is important to test them with your users. This will help you understand if your designs meet their needs and if there are any areas for improvement.

Listen actively: When conducting research, it is important to listen actively to your users. This means being present, asking open-ended questions, and not interrupting.
Observe without bias: When observing your users, it is important to do so without bias. This means not making assumptions or judgments based on your own experiences.
Collaborate with your team: HCD is a collaborative process. It is important to work with your team to gather information, brainstorm solutions, and test designs.
Iterate: Design is an iterative process. It is important to test your designs, gather feedback, and make improvements.

Let’s say you are designing a website for a healthcare provider.

You conduct research and find that your users are primarily older adults who may have difficulty navigating complex websites.

You put yourself in their shoes and understand their perspective.

You design a website with larger fonts, clear navigation, and simplified language.

You test your website with your users and receive positive feedback.

You continue to iterate on your design based on user feedback and make improvements.

Another example is a mobile app for a grocery store.

You conduct research and find that your users want a way to easily find items in the store and track their purchases.

You put yourself in their shoes and understand their perspective.

You design an app with a search function, aisle maps, and a shopping list feature.

You test your app with your users and receive positive feedback.

You continue to iterate on your design based on user feedback and make improvements.