This document discusses empathy and why it is important. It provides several definitions and techniques for developing empathy, including deep listening, perspective taking, avoiding judgment, and recognizing emotion. Some specific empathy techniques discussed are contextual inquiry, empathy mapping, journey mapping, and co-creation. Developing empathy is presented as key to strategic product and service design by allowing businesses to better understand the underlying needs, attitudes, and behaviors of customers.

1. EMPATHY
WHY IT MATTERS.
Mary Piontkowski
Director of Insights & Service Design @ gotoresearch
@maryp

2. gotoresearch utilizes mixed methods of
research from applied ethnography to
evaluative testing.
These methods allow us to study the
underlying needs, attitudes and behaviors of
customers — gaining actionable insights to
inform your product or service strategy.

3. Transforming healthcare for children and their families:
Doug Dietz at TEDxSanJoseCA 2012

6. Deeper insights through contextual research and
rapid ethnography are catching on.
Businesses are seeing that design thinking
grounded in empathy is key to strategic product
and service design.

7. IKO Prosthetic Creative Systems,
Image from Business Insider

8. Design thinking starts with
empathy.
Empathy involves …
• Deep listening
• Perspective taking
• Staying out of judgment
• Recognizing emotion
Brené Brown on Empathy: https://youtu.be/1Evwgu369Jw

9. “Minds are like parachutes; they only function
when they are open.”
- Thomas R. Dewar
Empathy opens our minds.

10. A few achievable methods.
CONTEXTUAL
INQUIRY
PRACTICING EMPATHY
EMPATHY
MAPPING
JOURNEY
MAPPING
SUPPORT &
CARE
ECOSYSTEM
CO-CREATION
STORY
TELLING

11. A few achievable methods.
CONTEXTUAL
INQUIRY
PRACTICING EMPATHY
EMPATHY
MAPPING
JOURNEY
MAPPING
SUPPORT &
CARE
ECOSYSTEM
CO-CREATION
STORY
TELLING

12. Related methods.
CONTEXTUAL INQUIRY
• In Person, One on One Discussions
• Observation
• Rapid Ethnography
• Remote Interviews
• Diary Studies

13. Techniques.
CONTEXTUAL INQUIRY
• Open-ended questions
• The “5 Whys”
• Avoid leading
• Look deep

14. Capturing what you see and hear.
EMPATHY MAPPING
See Think & Feel
Hear Say & Do
Pain Gain

15. LET’S PRACTICE! Meet Doris.

16. Design thinking starts with empathy.
1. Work with your table of 3-4 people
2. Discuss & write down Doris’ pain
points
3. Ideation: Discuss how your group can
take action

17. Let’s share!

18. “We don’t have time for this."
"I believe if they had invested a handful of weeks in
rapid ethnography, they would have saved
themselves years of misdirected work.”
- Ellen Isaacs, PARC Ethnographer

19. THANK YOU. NOW GO & DO IT.
Mary Piontkowski
mary@gotoresearch.com
@maryp

20. Brené Brown on Empathy