August 2021, Empathy

Topic

Driving Creativity and Improving Customer Experience with Empathy - A Panel Discussion

Program

Developing empathy is often one of the first steps in the design process and can continue to evolve throughout the HCD lifecycle. Empathy is to see the world through another’s eyes. In design terms, that can mean working to understand and discover the needs of people so the designers can design solutions for them. Yet, when dealing with data and the rigor of product development, it can be easy to forget that we are designing for people.

On Friday, August 27, the HCD Community of Practice hosted a panel discussion to explore empathy and product development. Why is empathy a potent tool for developing products and services? How might we leverage empathy to drive creativity and improve customer experience?

Senior Design Strategist Brian Flaherty from Tantus Technologies and PM3 moderated a discussion with:

• HCD Research & Design Lead and Product Strategist Bob Bethanis from Bellese and QMARS
• Experience Designer and Researcher Justin Garcia with Ventech Solutions and SNOW
• Human Centered Design Analyst Arthur Green with Ventech Solutions and SNOW
• Design Researcher Meghan Nichols from Ventera and ESS
• Experience Research Lead Kim Schulke from Flexion and EQRS

The panel explored a variety of themes, such as:

• The role of empathy in product development and customer experience,
• Developing shared empathy across a team, and
• Moving beyond checking a box to using empathy to drive creativity.

Resources

• Recording
• Recommended reading:
  • Listen Like You Mean It, by Zimena Vengoechea
  • Designing Your Life, by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
  • Ethical Explorer, a website with a field guide, and more resources