{"id":6703,"date":"2017-03-01T10:59:51","date_gmt":"2017-03-01T10:59:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/marvel7077.wpengine.com\/?p=6703"},"modified":"2021-01-18T00:07:57","modified_gmt":"2021-01-18T00:07:57","slug":"practicing-empathy-product-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/blog\/practicing-empathy-product-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Practicing Empathy in Product Design"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><strong class=\"c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-5 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Empathy<\/strong> is a buzzword in the tech industry. Although it\u2019s important to work to understand the needs of the humans using our products, sometimes it seems like we talk about empathy more than we actually do it.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s position-relative marginTopBottom-l breakPointM-marginTopBottom-xl\"><div class=\"blog-quote-before position-absolute bg-marvel\"><\/div><div class=\"tweet-quote blog-quote-after position-absolute bg-marvel cursor-pointer transitionDuration-l transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-cv-easeOutCircular scaleUp--hover zi-weak\"><svg class=\"fill-white opacity-0 pointerEvents-none position-absolute pinCenter transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-easeInOut\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 20\"><path d=\"M24,2.37a9.64,9.64,0,0,1-2.83.79A5,5,0,0,0,23.34.37a9.72,9.72,0,0,1-3.13,1.23A4.86,4.86,0,0,0,16.62,0a5,5,0,0,0-4.8,6.2A13.87,13.87,0,0,1,1.67.92,5.13,5.13,0,0,0,3.19,7.67,4.81,4.81,0,0,1,1,7a5,5,0,0,0,3.95,5,4.82,4.82,0,0,1-2.22.09,4.94,4.94,0,0,0,4.6,3.51A9.72,9.72,0,0,1,0,17.73,13.69,13.69,0,0,0,7.55,20c9.14,0,14.31-7.92,14-15A10.17,10.17,0,0,0,24,2.37Z\"\/><\/svg><\/div><p class=\"blog-quote position-relative textAlign-center c-marvel\"><span class=\"blog-quote-text transitionDuration-l transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-easeInOut\">\"Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of\u00a0another.\"<\/p><\/span><\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Silicon Valley is a notoriously insular place to work. During the two years I commuted from San Francisco to the peninsula, I spent the vast majority of my time with people who were a lot like me. It was easy to forget that the experience I lived every day wasn\u2019t representative of the vast majority of humans my products were trying to serve.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Platitudes about empathy are thrown around like confetti in meetings and conferences. I\u2019ve done this myself without seriously considering what it means to make empathy a guiding principle in how we conceive of, plan and build products. Even if intentions are good (and they usually are), when the tech industry co-opts a concept or term, it can feel a bit like we\u2019re a bunch of robots trying to act out human feelings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"display-block marginTopBottom-l centered\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IhVu2hxm07E\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Have a look at some of these headlines (some of the articles are more nuanced than the headlines imply):<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\" class=\"postList\">\n<li id=\"c7a1\" class=\"graf graf--li graf-after--p\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"class=\"markup--anchor markup--li-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/steveblank.com\/2010\/02\/08\/emulating-empathy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-href=\"https:\/\/steveblank.com\/2010\/02\/08\/emulating-empathy\/\">Emulating Empathy<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"5079\" class=\"graf graf--li graf-after--li\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"class=\"markup--anchor markup--li-anchor\" href=\"http:\/\/mashable.com\/2015\/09\/16\/artificial-intelligence-empathy\/#YazFjSjDr5q2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-href=\"http:\/\/mashable.com\/2015\/09\/16\/artificial-intelligence-empathy\/#YazFjSjDr5q2\">Why every tech company needs to integrate empathy<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"191c\" class=\"graf graf--li graf-after--li\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"class=\"markup--anchor markup--li-anchor\" href=\"http:\/\/techcrunch.com\/video\/facebook-adds-empathy-reactions-crunch-report\/519141554\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-href=\"http:\/\/techcrunch.com\/video\/facebook-adds-empathy-reactions-crunch-report\/519141554\/\">Facebook adds \u201cempathy\u201d reactions<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"fbc4\" class=\"graf graf--li graf-after--li\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"class=\"markup--anchor markup--li-anchor\" href=\"http:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2015\/03\/14\/snapchat-meerkat-and-the-empathy-machine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-href=\"http:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2015\/03\/14\/snapchat-meerkat-and-the-empathy-machine\/\">Empathy Machine<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">When tech people casually reference empathy they\u2019re treating it like just another commodity. This isn\u2019t intentional or malicious. It\u2019s a by-product of living in a world of ultimate convenience and privilege. But you can\u2019t order up empathy the way you can order a ride or dinner.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Empathy takes practice.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s position-relative marginTopBottom-l breakPointM-marginTopBottom-xl\"><div class=\"blog-quote-before position-absolute bg-marvel\"><\/div><div class=\"tweet-quote blog-quote-after position-absolute bg-marvel cursor-pointer transitionDuration-l transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-cv-easeOutCircular scaleUp--hover zi-weak\"><svg class=\"fill-white opacity-0 pointerEvents-none position-absolute pinCenter transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-easeInOut\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 20\"><path d=\"M24,2.37a9.64,9.64,0,0,1-2.83.79A5,5,0,0,0,23.34.37a9.72,9.72,0,0,1-3.13,1.23A4.86,4.86,0,0,0,16.62,0a5,5,0,0,0-4.8,6.2A13.87,13.87,0,0,1,1.67.92,5.13,5.13,0,0,0,3.19,7.67,4.81,4.81,0,0,1,1,7a5,5,0,0,0,3.95,5,4.82,4.82,0,0,1-2.22.09,4.94,4.94,0,0,0,4.6,3.51A9.72,9.72,0,0,1,0,17.73,13.69,13.69,0,0,0,7.55,20c9.14,0,14.31-7.92,14-15A10.17,10.17,0,0,0,24,2.37Z\"\/><\/svg><\/div><p class=\"blog-quote position-relative textAlign-center c-marvel\"><span class=\"blog-quote-text transitionDuration-l transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-easeInOut\">\"You can\u2019t order up empathy the way you can order a ride or dinner. Empathy takes practice.\"<\/p><\/span><\/blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-xl marginBottom-l c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5 breakPointM-lineHeight-xxl breakPointM-fontSize-xxl\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">Doing Empathy<\/h2>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><span class=\"long-quote\">Practice: Perform (an activity) or exercise (a skill) repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one\u2019s proficiency.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">There are a thousand big and small ways to practice empathy as part of a product design and development process. But it\u2019s hard because it means you need to change the way you work.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Here are some ideas:<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-l marginBottom-m c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5\">Seek regular feedback from people who aren\u2019t like you<\/h3>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/labs.ideo.com\/2014\/09\/19\/digital-tools-for-design-research\/\">Building an understanding about the people who use your product<\/a> is a process of continual improvement. Ideally, it means meeting people where they\u2019re comfortable, listening to what they have to say, and doing this all on a regular basis (yes, even when you\u2019re very, very busy). For this to matter you need to be willing to make real changes to your product as you begin to understand:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>What they care about<\/li>\n<li>What their pain points are<\/li>\n<li>How you are uniquely positioned to respond to their needs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">As a writer, I pay particular attention to the language people use and the comparisons and examples they lean on to make sense of things.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">This isn\u2019t an opportunity to sell, pitch, justify or provide corrections. Be quiet, be open-minded and listen.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s position-relative marginTopBottom-l breakPointM-marginTopBottom-xl\"><div class=\"blog-quote-before position-absolute bg-marvel\"><\/div><div class=\"tweet-quote blog-quote-after position-absolute bg-marvel cursor-pointer transitionDuration-l transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-cv-easeOutCircular scaleUp--hover zi-weak\"><svg class=\"fill-white opacity-0 pointerEvents-none position-absolute pinCenter transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-easeInOut\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 20\"><path d=\"M24,2.37a9.64,9.64,0,0,1-2.83.79A5,5,0,0,0,23.34.37a9.72,9.72,0,0,1-3.13,1.23A4.86,4.86,0,0,0,16.62,0a5,5,0,0,0-4.8,6.2A13.87,13.87,0,0,1,1.67.92,5.13,5.13,0,0,0,3.19,7.67,4.81,4.81,0,0,1,1,7a5,5,0,0,0,3.95,5,4.82,4.82,0,0,1-2.22.09,4.94,4.94,0,0,0,4.6,3.51A9.72,9.72,0,0,1,0,17.73,13.69,13.69,0,0,0,7.55,20c9.14,0,14.31-7.92,14-15A10.17,10.17,0,0,0,24,2.37Z\"\/><\/svg><\/div><p class=\"blog-quote position-relative textAlign-center c-marvel\"><span class=\"blog-quote-text transitionDuration-l transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-easeInOut\">\"Building an understanding about the people who use your product is a process of continual improvement.\"<\/p><\/span><\/blockquote>\n<h3 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-l marginBottom-m c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5\">Map out tasks<\/h3>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">When you\u2019re designing a new product or feature, it\u2019s easy to get caught up in the excitement and potential of what\u2019s possible. But what\u2019s possible isn\u2019t always what\u2019s needed or what\u2019s appropriate. Just because you can do something innovative, doesn\u2019t always mean you should.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">In <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"http:\/\/www.uxmatters.com\/mt\/archives\/2015\/03\/tools-for-mobile-ux-design-task-flows.php\">UX Matters<\/a>, Steve Hoober defines the process of task mapping as \u201ca diagram that describes the entire scope of the system from the point of view of the user\u2014 considering all touchpoint, all actors, and all storage and delays.\u201d A task map isn\u2019t a series of screen shots, but a way to represent all the steps in any given task so that you can identify opportunities and pain points. You don\u2019t need fancy software to create a task map. Pen and paper works just fine or you can use <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/www.google.it\/search?q=free+mind+mapping+software&amp;oq=free+mind+mapping&amp;aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j0l4.2806j0j4&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8\">any number of mind mapping tools available<\/a> online.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Task mapping is a great way to examine and evaluate your product so that you can identify opportunities to clarify and simplify experiences to make it easier for people to do the things that matter to them.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-l marginBottom-m c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5\">Understand and re-evaluate key metrics<\/h3>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Most companies pay attention to certain metrics as a way to make sure they\u2019re meeting business objectives and spending resources wisely. Key metrics are also used to motivate teams to meet specific goals.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s position-relative marginTopBottom-l breakPointM-marginTopBottom-xl\"><div class=\"blog-quote-before position-absolute bg-marvel\"><\/div><div class=\"tweet-quote blog-quote-after position-absolute bg-marvel cursor-pointer transitionDuration-l transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-cv-easeOutCircular scaleUp--hover zi-weak\"><svg class=\"fill-white opacity-0 pointerEvents-none position-absolute pinCenter transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-easeInOut\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 20\"><path d=\"M24,2.37a9.64,9.64,0,0,1-2.83.79A5,5,0,0,0,23.34.37a9.72,9.72,0,0,1-3.13,1.23A4.86,4.86,0,0,0,16.62,0a5,5,0,0,0-4.8,6.2A13.87,13.87,0,0,1,1.67.92,5.13,5.13,0,0,0,3.19,7.67,4.81,4.81,0,0,1,1,7a5,5,0,0,0,3.95,5,4.82,4.82,0,0,1-2.22.09,4.94,4.94,0,0,0,4.6,3.51A9.72,9.72,0,0,1,0,17.73,13.69,13.69,0,0,0,7.55,20c9.14,0,14.31-7.92,14-15A10.17,10.17,0,0,0,24,2.37Z\"\/><\/svg><\/div><p class=\"blog-quote position-relative textAlign-center c-marvel\"><span class=\"blog-quote-text transitionDuration-l transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-easeInOut\">\"The problem with being too focused on quantitative metrics is that they usually only tell one part of the story\"<\/p><\/span><\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">The problem with being too focused on quantitative metrics is that they usually only tell one part of the story and they\u2019re easy to manipulate. For example, if email clickthroughs are my key metric and my bonus is based on increasing clickthroughs, I can do all kinds of things to inflate my numbers, none of which are a good experience for users. I could:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>Use clickbait link text to wrongly imply that people will see something important or special if they click<\/li>\n<li>Design bigger, brighter, animated buttons with larger click targets<\/li>\n<li>Imply a false sense of urgency or scarcity that all but forces people to click<\/li>\n<li>Provide only teaser information in my email so that people need to click through to see the meat of the content (ex: someone did something that impacts you, click to see)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Doing any of these things might increase the clickthrough rate in emails and from that perspective, I\u2019ve succeeded and deserve my reward. But none of these tactics are good for the people receiving my emails and in the long run, they\u2019re bad for my company. People will only put up with manipulation and spam for so long before they unsubscribe or stop using a product entirely.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s position-relative marginTopBottom-l breakPointM-marginTopBottom-xl\"><div class=\"blog-quote-before position-absolute bg-marvel\"><\/div><div class=\"tweet-quote blog-quote-after position-absolute bg-marvel cursor-pointer transitionDuration-l transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-cv-easeOutCircular scaleUp--hover zi-weak\"><svg class=\"fill-white opacity-0 pointerEvents-none position-absolute pinCenter transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-easeInOut\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 20\"><path d=\"M24,2.37a9.64,9.64,0,0,1-2.83.79A5,5,0,0,0,23.34.37a9.72,9.72,0,0,1-3.13,1.23A4.86,4.86,0,0,0,16.62,0a5,5,0,0,0-4.8,6.2A13.87,13.87,0,0,1,1.67.92,5.13,5.13,0,0,0,3.19,7.67,4.81,4.81,0,0,1,1,7a5,5,0,0,0,3.95,5,4.82,4.82,0,0,1-2.22.09,4.94,4.94,0,0,0,4.6,3.51A9.72,9.72,0,0,1,0,17.73,13.69,13.69,0,0,0,7.55,20c9.14,0,14.31-7.92,14-15A10.17,10.17,0,0,0,24,2.37Z\"\/><\/svg><\/div><p class=\"blog-quote position-relative textAlign-center c-marvel\"><span class=\"blog-quote-text transitionDuration-l transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-easeInOut\">\"You can practice empathy and work towards achieving quantitative goals\"<\/p><\/span><\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">You can practice empathy <em>and<\/em> work towards achieving quantitative goals but it requires a nuanced conversation and planning. You need to be able to honestly answer questions like these:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>What is the ultimate company goal that\u2019s informing how and what you measure?<\/li>\n<li>Is your key metric the right way to measure progress against company goals?<\/li>\n<li>Are there other more user-centered opportunities for achieving the company goals that your team hasn\u2019t considered?<\/li>\n<li>What does your key metric represent in human terms? (ex: clickthroughs isn\u2019t a very human way to characterize an experience you\u2019re building for people)<\/li>\n<li>How will you factor in qualitative feedback and evaluation to measure if your tactics impact user sentiment?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">If my key metric is to increase clicks on emails, the conversation I need to have with myself and my team should be:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>Do our email provide any\/enough value for our customers?<\/li>\n<li>How can we increase the value of our emails for customers?<\/li>\n<li>What do our customers need from our emails? What do they want from our emails?<\/li>\n<li>What can we offer our customers on our website to justify their click?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Practicing empathy means it will probably take longer to achieve your targets because you have to work harder and be more customer-focused to get there. It also might mean that you need to have a hard conversation with your company leaders about whether achieving the numbers they care about can be accomplished without jeopardizing your ability to do right by your users.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s position-relative marginTopBottom-l breakPointM-marginTopBottom-xl\"><div class=\"blog-quote-before position-absolute bg-marvel\"><\/div><div class=\"tweet-quote blog-quote-after position-absolute bg-marvel cursor-pointer transitionDuration-l transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-cv-easeOutCircular scaleUp--hover zi-weak\"><svg class=\"fill-white opacity-0 pointerEvents-none position-absolute pinCenter transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-easeInOut\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 20\"><path d=\"M24,2.37a9.64,9.64,0,0,1-2.83.79A5,5,0,0,0,23.34.37a9.72,9.72,0,0,1-3.13,1.23A4.86,4.86,0,0,0,16.62,0a5,5,0,0,0-4.8,6.2A13.87,13.87,0,0,1,1.67.92,5.13,5.13,0,0,0,3.19,7.67,4.81,4.81,0,0,1,1,7a5,5,0,0,0,3.95,5,4.82,4.82,0,0,1-2.22.09,4.94,4.94,0,0,0,4.6,3.51A9.72,9.72,0,0,1,0,17.73,13.69,13.69,0,0,0,7.55,20c9.14,0,14.31-7.92,14-15A10.17,10.17,0,0,0,24,2.37Z\"\/><\/svg><\/div><p class=\"blog-quote position-relative textAlign-center c-marvel\"><span class=\"blog-quote-text transitionDuration-l transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-easeInOut\">\"The language in your product matters as much as the fancy animations...\"<\/p><\/span><\/blockquote>\n<h3 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-l marginBottom-m c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5\">Write like a human <\/h3>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">The language in your product matters as much as the fancy animations and transitions, the color palettes, or the alignment of buttons. When you\u2019re <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/write-like-a-human\/write-like-a-human-61f6c7c0752c#.o47fms9k3\">writing product content<\/a>, imagine you\u2019re writing for someone you love and choose your words with care. This means:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>Write simply with the goal of communicating clearly.<\/li>\n<li>Avoid language that tries to manipulate people into taking actions they don\u2019t want to take. If you ever find yourself in a position where you\u2019re using trickery to get someone to do something they don\u2019t want to do, stop pretending you care about empathy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_6720\" style=\"width: 843px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/1-OeqyFEoN1zlDw4yA656FMQ.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6720\" src=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/1-OeqyFEoN1zlDw4yA656FMQ.jpeg\" alt=\"Image Credit: Harper\u2019s Bazaar via The Cruelest Opt Out Forms\" width=\"833\" height=\"571\" class=\"size-full wp-image-6720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/1-OeqyFEoN1zlDw4yA656FMQ.jpeg 833w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/1-OeqyFEoN1zlDw4yA656FMQ-600x411.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/1-OeqyFEoN1zlDw4yA656FMQ-768x526.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-6720\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credit: Harper\u2019s Bazaar via <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"http:\/\/cruelestoptouts.tumblr.com\/\">The Cruelest Opt Out Forms<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li>Identify and eliminate internal jargon and ego language. Your customers don\u2019t care where you did your MBA or the big words you know, and they\u2019re not interested in your internal acronyms or code names.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Read your writing out loud, even UX content. Does it sound clear, human and kind? Hey, you\u2019re doing empathy!<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-l marginBottom-m c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5\">Design for real life<\/h3>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Even if you\u2019ve gone to the trouble of developing personas in an attempt to better understand your customers, most people don\u2019t fit neatly into boxes. If you want to practice empathy, you need to be willing to go to dark places and think through the worst possible scenarios. Imagine your users at their most vulnerable and think about your product experience from their perspective. <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/abookapart.com\/products\/design-for-real-life\">Design for Real Life<\/a> by <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/@sara_ann_marie\">Sara Wachter-Boettcher<\/a> and <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/meyerweb\">Eric Meyer<\/a> is a great place to start if you want to delve deeper into this topic.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s position-relative marginTopBottom-l breakPointM-marginTopBottom-xl\"><div class=\"blog-quote-before position-absolute bg-marvel\"><\/div><div class=\"tweet-quote blog-quote-after position-absolute bg-marvel cursor-pointer transitionDuration-l transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-cv-easeOutCircular scaleUp--hover zi-weak\"><svg class=\"fill-white opacity-0 pointerEvents-none position-absolute pinCenter transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-easeInOut\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 20\"><path d=\"M24,2.37a9.64,9.64,0,0,1-2.83.79A5,5,0,0,0,23.34.37a9.72,9.72,0,0,1-3.13,1.23A4.86,4.86,0,0,0,16.62,0a5,5,0,0,0-4.8,6.2A13.87,13.87,0,0,1,1.67.92,5.13,5.13,0,0,0,3.19,7.67,4.81,4.81,0,0,1,1,7a5,5,0,0,0,3.95,5,4.82,4.82,0,0,1-2.22.09,4.94,4.94,0,0,0,4.6,3.51A9.72,9.72,0,0,1,0,17.73,13.69,13.69,0,0,0,7.55,20c9.14,0,14.31-7.92,14-15A10.17,10.17,0,0,0,24,2.37Z\"\/><\/svg><\/div><p class=\"blog-quote position-relative textAlign-center c-marvel\"><span class=\"blog-quote-text transitionDuration-l transitionProperty-all transitionTimingFunction-easeInOut\">\"If you want to practice empathy, you need to be willing to go to dark places\"<\/p><\/span><\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">Empathy is a practice. It\u2019s not something you acquire by saying the word. If all of this sounds like a lot of work, that\u2019s because it is. It\u2019s hard to put the experiences and needs of others first especially when we\u2019re stressed out, time constrained, and caught between trying to do what\u2019s best for users and the move-fast, think-later reality of much of the tech world. Even the nicest people struggle to be friendly, generous and considerate all the time. But they keep trying, they course correct, they practice.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><em>Follow <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/write-like-a-human\">Write Like a Human<\/a> for insights and tactical tips to help you think critically about language and build better products.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginBottom-m paddingBottom-s c-slate lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\"><em>This post was originally published on <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/write-like-a-human\/practicing-empathy-in-product-design-a17f0a4ffe55#.btjiz0g9g\">Amy\u2019s Medium profile<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s marginTop-l marginBottom-m c-black lineHeight-xl fontSize-xl fontWeight-5\">\nFurther reading:<br \/>\n<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"pageWrap pageWrap--s list list--unordered marginBottom-l lineHeight-l fontSize-l fontWeight-3 breakPointM-fontSize-xl breakPointM-lineHeight-xl\">\n<li><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/blog\/ux-designers-improve-empathy-better-designer\/\">UX Designers: How To Improve Your Empathy To Be A Better Designer<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/blog\/run-empathy-user-journey-mapping-workshop\/\">How to Run an Empathy &amp; User Journey Mapping Workshop<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/blog\/start-your-design-led-journey\/\">Starting your journey to becoming design led<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/blog\/writing-useful-designers\/\">Why Writing Is Useful for Designers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\"href=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/blog\/data-driven-vs-data-informed-design-enterprise-products\/\">Data Driven Design vs. Data Informed Design in Enterprise Products<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Empathy is a buzzword in the tech industry. Although it\u2019s important to work to understand the needs of the humans using our products, sometimes it seems like we talk about empathy more than we actually do it. &#8220;Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of\u00a0another.&#8221; Silicon Valley is a notoriously insular place to work. During the two&#8230; <a class=\"link link--blue fontWeight-4\" href=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/blog\/practicing-empathy-product-design\/\">Read More &#65515;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":97,"featured_media":6709,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-viewpoint"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v15.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Empathy is a buzzword in the tech industry. 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