We talk a lot about “empathy” in the design world. But we don’t have a great deal of clarity about what empathy actually is, and what it costs us as both designers of products, or as human beings.
What is empathy?
Nursing theorist Theresa Wiseman argues that empathy involves the following:
- To be able to see the world as others see it
- To be non-judgmental about what you see
- To understand another’s feelings
- To communicate your understanding of those fee
Sam Ladner, PhD