Build Empathy

Building User Empathy in UX Research

• Pre-Interview Empathy Exercise

• Purpose

  • “Helps designers connect with users before formal research”
  • Refines interview questions
  • Anticipates user experiences

• Components

  • Use imagination/perspective taking
  • Record thoughts in bullet points
  • Think through potential responses

• User Profiles vs Personas

• Profiles

  • Short fictional biographies
  • Aid informal empathy exercises
  • Used before interviews

• Personas

  • More formal design tools
  • Created after multiple interviews
  • Represent larger user groups

• Building Effective Questions

• Consider User Impact

  • Avoid triggering words
  • Use neutral phrasing
  • Allow natural conversation flow

• Question Refinement

  • Remove leading language
  • Add follow-up opportunities
  • “Focus on user experience not assumptions”

• Analysis Process

• Review Individual Data

  • Analyze each user separately
  • Look for key patterns

• Find Commonalities

  • Identify shared concerns
  • Note recurring problems

• Design Solutions

  • Address common needs
  • Consider universal features
  • “Focus on solving key pain points”

Empathy exercises help designers anticipate user needs and refine their research approach before conducting actual interviews. This proactive empathy leads to better questions and ultimately more effective design solutions.