Human Centered Design (HCD) is an approach to problem-solving that puts people at the heart of the design process. Instead of designing products based on what we think users want, HCD requires us to deeply understand users' needs, behaviors, and pain points before creating solutions.
Think about the last time you used an app or website that was confusing or frustrating. That's often the result of design without empathy. HCD helps us create products that truly work for real people.
Empathy is the foundation of Human Centered Design. It's the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. In design, empathy means stepping into your users' shoes to see the world from their perspective.
When you understand users deeply, you solve the right problems. Many products fail because they solve problems users don't actually have.
Empathy reveals unmet needs and hidden opportunities. The best innovations come from observing what users struggle with but can't articulate.
Products designed with empathy are intuitive and delightful to use. Users feel understood and valued, leading to higher satisfaction and loyalty.
Understanding users early prevents costly mistakes. It's much cheaper to validate ideas with users before building than to rebuild after launch.
In 1990, Sam Farber watched his wife struggle to use a traditional vegetable peeler due to arthritis. Instead of just making it easier for people with arthritis, he used empathy to realize that EVERYONE would benefit from more comfortable kitchen tools. OXO Good Grips was born, revolutionizing kitchen products by designing for the extremes and benefiting all users. This is empathy-driven design at its best.
To build empathy, we need to conduct user research. Here are the main methods designers use to understand their users:
One-on-one conversations with users to understand their experiences, needs, and pain points. The key is to ask open-ended questions and listen actively.
Watching users in their natural environment as they complete tasks. People often do things differently than they describe in interviews.
Gathering data from a larger group of users. Useful for validating patterns seen in interviews and understanding scale.
A combination of interviews and observation where you watch users in their environment while asking questions about what they're doing and why.
A persona is a fictional character that represents a key user type. Personas help teams keep real users in mind throughout the design process.
Age: 20 | Major: Biology | Tech Level: High
Goals: Balance coursework, part-time job, and social life. Stay organized without spending hours planning.
Frustrations: Existing calendar apps are too complex. Constantly forgets assignments. Overwhelmed by notifications.
Behaviors: Uses phone for everything. Checks social media between classes. Prefers quick, visual information.
Quote: "I need something that just works. I don't have time to set up complicated systems."
An empathy map is a visual tool that helps you understand what a user says, thinks, feels, and does. It's a quick way to synthesize research findings and build team alignment.
What the user says out loud in interviews or observations
Example: "I don't have time for this"
What the user might be thinking but not saying
Example: "I'm worried I'll look dumb if I ask"
Actions and behaviors you observe
Example: Clicks back button multiple times
Emotional state during the experience
Example: Frustrated, anxious, confused
What they're trying to accomplish
How to use it: After conducting research, gather your team and fill out an empathy map together. Look for patterns and contradictions between what users say and do.
A crucial skill in HCD is distinguishing between what users say they want and what they actually need.
What users explicitly ask for. Often framed as feature requests or solutions.
Example: "I want a faster horse" - Henry Ford's customers
The real problem or goal beneath the surface. Discovered through research and observation.
Reality: They needed faster transportation → The car was born
"If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses."
- Often attributed to Henry Ford (though possibly apocryphal)
Your job as a designer is to dig beneath surface-level wants to uncover true needs. Listen to the problem, not the proposed solution.
GE Healthcare wanted to make MRI machines more efficient. Through empathy research, designer Doug Dietz discovered that children were terrified of the machines - some needed sedation just to get scanned.
The Insight: Kids weren't scared of medical procedures - they were scared of the big, loud, intimidating machine and sterile hospital environment.
The Solution: Transform MRI rooms into adventure themes. The "pirate ship" scanner, the "jungle adventure," etc. Kids were coached to "stay very still so you don't wake the baby elephant."
The Result: Sedation rates dropped dramatically. Children asked to go back. Same machine, completely different experience - all because of empathy.
Test your empathy and persona-building skills with the Persona Builder game!
Play Persona Builder Game →Next up: Learn about ideation and prototyping!
Part 2: Ideation & Prototyping →