Contrary to popular belief, most people do care about the welfare of others.From an evolutionary standpoint, empathy is a valuable impulse that helps humans survive in groups. In American schools, this impulse has been lying dormant from a lack of focu…

Course ContentWeek 1 – Introduction to the courseIntroducing the teaching team and an overview of design research, key terms, and roles.Week 2 – Planning and preparing how to gain empathyHow to get ready for a field visit by agreeing on out…

Is the introspection of self-help and therapy hurting our ability to empathise?Over the past century, self-help and therapy culture have emphasised constantly looking inward as a means of self-discovery and self-improvement. But are we really any bette…

Seeking to mediate between the “classical” view of countertransference as a neurotic impediment to the treatment process and the more recent “totalist” perspective, which assumes that the therapist’s emotional response necessarily reveals something abo…

In her speech, Clinton acknowledged several times that many of the voters she met with during her Appalachian tour would never vote for her. The trip nonetheless made sense as part of a larger obligation of leadership. Making America governable ag…

Seven Keys To Igniting Empathy With Storytelling

1. Igniting empathy is an essential component of research, strategy, and creativity. In our work with clients, we’ve learned that understanding the customer through deep insight is only half the battle. Instilling real empathy into your organization is as much, if not more, about how insights are communicated. Borrowing from our heritage in journalism, we’ve compiled 7 Keys to Igniting Empathy to positively impact your organization, and infuse empathetic understanding into every customer touchpoint.

2. About Kelton Global Kelton Global is an insights and strategy consultancy with deep experience in research. We blend a broad range of approaches to generate smart, actionable solutions that help brands move confidently into the future. Founded by journalists, compelling storytelling and empathetic understanding are at the core of everything that we do.

3. Empathy is everyday mind reading. Empathy requires an awareness of the feelings and emotions of others, and the ability to experience them through the power of imagination. Empathy has two components:

“The story is a machine for empathy. In contrast to logic or reason, a story is about emotion that gets staged over a sequence of dramatic moments, so you empathize with the characters without really thinking about it too much. It is a really powerful tool for imagining yourself in other people’s situations.”
 ― Ira Glass 

“…these stories are a kind of beacon. By making stories full of empathy and amusement and the sheer pleasure of discovering the world, these writers reassert the fact that we live in a world where joy and empathy and pleasure are all around us, there for the noticing.” ― Ira Glass 

During this volatile political season I think a conversation about empathy is a good one for all of us to have — in our homes, in our workplaces and, most importantly, with ourselves. Mr Khan said repeatedly in the interview I watched t…

Is Virtual Reality (VR) the “empathy machine”? What are the best practices of VR, a technology that is taking off in 2016?Mark Atkin, curator of VR exhibitions at Sheffield Doc/Fest, UK’s biggest non-fiction film festival, spoke with …

With the excitement and hype building around virtual reality, Chris Milk famously referred to VR as an “empathy machine.” Immersion in a 360-degree landscape can, indeed, create empathy, but so too can plain text, argues the start…