Practical Empathy

A Purposeful, Practical Form of Empathy
Indi Young

A Practical Form of
Empathy
1. Empathy Is Alive and Well
2. Two Types of Empathy
3. Solution-Focused vs.
Person-Focused
4. Easy, Achievable,
Everyday Practice

cc by-nc-nd Indi Young, Aug-2013 3
1. Empathy Is Alive And Well

cc by-nc-nd Indi Young, Aug-2013 4Flickr: arbron/74882134, epsos/4890207202, cornelii/3078532943
What does she
mean by “managing
the awkwardness?” I
need to understand
her reasoning there.
I feel her joy!
Landing her
dream job is
fantastic! She’s
worked so hard.
I am trying to have
empathy for these
slow infrequent
travelers boarding
the plane.

Intuitive, Reactive
Empathy

Intuitive, Reactive
Empathy
Intentional, Constructed
Empathy

Intuitive, Reactive
Empathy
Echoing the emotion
another person (or group) is
expressing, because you
have had a similar feeling.
Empathy
Figuring out how and why
another person thinks and
reacts in certain situations.

Intuitive, Reactive
Empathy
“I empathize with you about
the layoffs.”
Empathy
“I see, now, how the team’s
coach is helping them
handle their losses.”

cc by-nc-nd Indi Young, Aug-2013 9.
3. Solution-Focused vs. Person-Focused

3. Solution-Focused vs. Person-Focused

Solution Focused Usually Solution
Focused
(Depends on Content)
Person Focused
Generative Stakeholder Interview
Participatory Design, Co-
Design
Observation-as-Participant
Experience Strategy Map
Mental Model Diagram (bottom
part)
Kano Analysis/Graph
Brainstorming
Use Case, Scenario
Swim Lanes
Wireframes
Prototyping
Journey Map / Blueprint
Ethnography (Ride-Along)
Comics, Storyboards
Storytelling
Collage, Timeline, Journey Wall
Mental/Mind Maps
Affinity Diagrams
Customer Interview
Contextual Inquiry
Customer Observation
Personas (unpolluted by tool use)
Diary Study
Mental Model Diagram (top part)
Ethnography (Long Term)
Evaluative Usability Testing
A/B, Multivariate Testing
Remote Testing
Eye Tracking
Competitive Analysis
Content Inventory/Audit
Focus Group
Benchmarks, Comparison
KLM, GOMS
Heuristic/Expert Review
Cognitive Walkthrough
Physical Ergonomics Review
Accessibility Study
Search Analytics
Card Sort
Task Analysis
Contextual Inquiry
Customer Observation

Interpret Analyze
Listen

Empathy Gets Created
Here
Interpret Analyze
Listen

cc by-nc-nd Indi Young, Aug-2013 14Flickr: dlytle/2215047019/
4. Easy, Achievable, Everyday Practice

The Practice
Flickr: rsepulveda/3024366047
1. Focus All Your Brainpower
2. Follow the Peaks & Valleys
3. Do You Understand?
4. What You Are Looking For
5. Be Supportive
6. Be Respectful
7. Neutralize Your Reactions
8. Address Your Fear
9. Decide How to Conduct
Formal Sessions

Chart from Blog by Andre Ivanchuk, andreivanchuk.com

I was more concerned
about not screwing up
than trying to empathize
with the other person.

2. Follow the Peaks and Valleys
Start the Session with a Broad Topic
Let the Participant Keep Choosing the Direction

“Why did you decide to attend a particular
performance you went to?”

Do Not Introduce Topics
Did you attend
this movie with
anyone?
Flickr: oberazzi/3671132195
Do Not Ask Survey Questions
How often do you
attend movies?
How did this movie
compare to other sci-fi
movies you’ve seen?
What is the best sci-fi
movie you’ve seen?
I haven't actually been to a performance in a few months …
probably not since Thor came out in the theatre. I don't know
how long ago that was - summer? [chuckle] I like to go see
sci-fi movies in the theater because the sound is better; the
graphics are better; you can get more immersed in the film—
more than you would if you just watched it on video at home.

Use the Fewest Number of Words Possible
Don’t Repeat Yourself
I decided to see a documentary. The
reason why I picked that one is, because
it was about a little village in the states ...
in Death Valley with a lot strange people
who thought that the world would collapse
May 2012. I thought it would be cool.
What interested you? What
did you think was cool?
And?
They were extreme; they were into guns. And then, it's
always fun to see all the other people sitting there. I was
there with my friend at the show. There was a group of
elderly men, and then there are the young film students.
Flickr: suttonhoo.blogspot.com/2007/03/open-letter-to-david-plouffe-campaign.html

Reiterate the Idea to Show Your Attention, Verify,
Encourage More Detail
I went to was Barnum and Bailey's 3 ring circus,
with my wife and our 19 month old. The
performance was probably better than I had
expected. I hadn't been to that since I was really
young, probably 10 years old. The show itself was
good, but some of the stuff I'd seen before. We
really went more just because of our kid. You
become a parent and you re-experience this stuff
with your kid, so it was really fun to be there with
him and watch him react to the show.
It was better than
you expected?
Flickr: usarmyafrica/4348003901

Avoid Introducing Words the Participant Hasn’t
Used
Do you ever use your
miles to share your
flight benefits with other
people?
So it was the Cirque Beatles show in Vegas … I
had some frequent flyer mileage that I could use to
get there and back, so I couldn’t pass up the
chance to go!

Avoid Introducing Words the Participant Hasn’t
Used
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/file%3ADoctor_consults_with_patient_(7).jpg

Never Switch Abruptly
Formula 1 is coming to Austin, and I love racing.
And I want my son be interested in it because I am
interested in it. Maybe he will be; maybe he won't
be. It's … whatever he wants to get into is great,
but I think it'd be cool if we had something to
connect on. So the tickets are like, geez, they sent
out a price survey a few weeks ago trying to gauge
like, “How much was the last performance you
went to?” It was like, “$200 and under, $200-$400,
$400-” and I am like, “Way, way under $200.” So
price definitely - like that's an event I'd love to be a
part of - I don't know if I can justify $200 a ticket.
Great. Earlier you said
people recommend
movies to you. Can
you tell me a specific
example?

3. Do You Understand?
You looked
him up?
I think for me it was unexpected. I’ve heard some of his
music, and I like his music ok, but I am not a huge Lyle Lovett
fan. So, it was not a big opportunity for me to finally see him.
But my wife really likes his music, and she’s heard that he
puts on a good show. So, I looked him up, and everybody
was raving about how good of an entertainer he was.
Yeah, I like to know—especially if I am going to pay
something for it. Even a movie—I want to know what I
am looking for. I don't like to be surprised.
Flickr: adactio/28218930

4. What You Are Looking For, and Not
Spend Time Here Not Here
Thinking/Reasoning
Reactions
Guiding Principles
Explanations
Statements of Fact
Opinions
Preferences
Conjecture
Generalities
Passive Behaviors

5. Be Supportive
Adapt Yourself to the Mood
Flickr: nationalmuseumofamericanhistory/6939157355

6. Be Respectful
Resist the Urge to Demonstrate
How Smart You Are
I like to write reviews. I
have a little newsletter
that I send out to all my
friends, since they
appreciate the industry
knowledge I bring to it.
I like to read the reviews every
week, just to find out what’s getting
people’s attention.

Avoid Telling Participant He is Wrong
So I agreed to go with her, and it did
turn out to be fun. They had Soft Cell
playing up on stage—I thought those
guys were gone by now. But no, there
they were, playing Painted Love, just
like from when I was a kid.Don’t you mean
Tainted Love?
Flickr: dcoetzee/8445416553

7. Neutralize Your Reactions
Notice Your Reactions and Judgments, Then
Dissipate them
Flickr: alastc/7172354533, bmente/2371178527, chumpolo/375892207

8. Address Your Fear
yachtingmonthly.com/news/445016/ym-snapper-in-high-speed-boat-smash

9. Decide How to Conduct Formal Sessions
One participant at a time
Spoken (remote or in-person) or written
Do not take notes
Do not watch the clock
(Assuming the conversation is recorded)

Deepening The
Practice
1. Real Time vs. Thinking
Time
2. Interpreting
3. Verbs First
4. Analysis Last

vs.
Flickr: dcoetzee/8445416553; UIE San Diego workshop photography
1. Real Time vs. Thinking Time

2. Interpreting

3. Verbs First
There is a certain format to the interpretation summaries
Verb + phrases (using about three of the person’s words)
(first person, present tense)
Hope
Attempt
Feel
Argue
Realize
Celebrate
Worry
Look
Rely
Play

Interpret Analyze
Select what to include
from the transcript,
figure out what they are
saying, and summarize.
What do I skip?
What was he trying to
tell me?
Is something implied?
How do I clarify it?
How do concepts fit together
across transcripts?
What goes with what?
Are the intents the same?
Was it interpreted wrong?
Do I have to fix the summary,
or split it up?
Is it relevant to the scope?
4. Do Your Analysis Last

Free Resources:
RosenfeldMedia.com/books/mental-models
- slides & videos
- articles
- how-to’s & templates
JohnnyHolland.org/series/search-for-empathy
Slideshare.net/indi
@indiyoung

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