SHOCK EMPATHY WORKSHOP: EXPLORING EMPATHY SKILLS FOR DESIGNERS AND NON-DESIGNERS
Year: 2018
Editor: Elies Dekoninck, Andrew Wodehouse, Chris Snider, Georgi Georgiev, Gaetano Cascini
Author: Dan Brian Trowsdale, Gerard Du, Jacques Giard
Series: ICDC
Section: POSTER 1: SHORT PRESENTATIONS
Page(s): 126-133
ISBN: 9781912254071
Abstract
User-centered design or user-focused design are terms which describe processes that attempt to involve potential customers or users within a design process. The intention of such processes is to create solutions that better serve the needs, feelings and wants of users, therefore increasing user experience, product desirability, and ultimately to increase the value of the solution. This paper discusses a simply executed creativity workshop which has been refined over a number of years to deliver a heightened awareness of empathy with user needs and characteristics. The workshop challenges participants to deliver solutions to problems that are unexpected and seemingly ridiculous in nature. The creativity workshop has been implemented in a variety of timeframes with designers, engineers and mixed non-technical groups. During more recent years it has been recognized that this exercise was in fact delivering learning outcomes beyond those of ‘creativity’ which were originally intended, and includes those of building the value of empathy and understanding of users in the design process.
Keywords: User, design thinking, empathy, group