Summary
Empathy is widely held as an important research mindset among designers. Many design research processes begin with the word. While empathy is broadly necessary to design practice, it is not without its problems. Most designers and researchers do not also know the dangers of empathy. Consider that: We confuse and conflate empathy, sympathy, and compassion. The differences are critically important. Empathic resonance in the brain is extremely biased. We find it hard to empathize with people unlike ourselves. Having too much empathy may also be problematic and can be weaponized by bad actors. We feel empathy only for humans and animals‚ not for objects, spaces, places, or our planet. This talk will explore the edges of empathy and show how and why two additional emotive capacities should be cultivated: curiosity and care. A short case study for a project involving four NASA space scientists will demonstrate that when these two capacities are added to empathy, they can lead to more generative research and richer insights.
Key Insights
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Empathy is valuable but has limitations that can lead to misunderstanding.
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Designers often focus their empathy on individuals who are similar to them, potentially neglecting others.
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The illusion of understanding through empathy can deter further questioning and exploration.
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Empathy is culturally and neurodivergently biased, which affects its application in design.
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Introducing care and curiosity can enhance design processes beyond empathy alone.
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Empathy allows us to view situations from multiple perspectives, but it doesn’t guarantee true understanding.
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The 'spotlight effect' narrows our empathic focus, which might lead to overlooking significant user groups.
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Effective empathy-driven design requires ongoing dialogue rather than a one-off interpretation of user needs.
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Inclusion and equity in design benefit from a community-activated approach rather than top-down assumptions.
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Rethinking how we create design artifacts can mitigate empathy's limitations and avoid stereotyping.
Notable Quotes
"Empathy isn't dangerous. It helps us take the perspective of others and build rapport."
"Isn't empathy more important for designers when we go walking about in other people's shoes?"
"We’re here to call b******* on empathy in design and research."
"We can feel what others feel, but understanding their experiences may lead to misunderstanding."
"Empathy Narrows rather than widens our view that can have long-term consequences."
"The double empathy problem emphasizes that neurotypical individuals and neurodiverse individuals interpret empathy differently."
"Some may argue that empathy creates connections with others, but it can also encourage group biases."
"Sometimes, approaching a situation with the mindset of not fully understanding leads to more thorough exploration."
"The essence of undeliverables is community-activated work, allowing people to generate ideas together."
"What would design and research look like if we left gaps for the community to fill in?"
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