Empathize & Identify

Define the Audience: Before the design process begins it is important for students to define who their audience will be. Who is affected by the problem? Who will be using the product? Who are you designing for?

• • Resource sheet from IDEO Defining the Audience

What, How, Why: Have students create a table to record their observations. First, they should record the details about WHAT is happening without making assumptions. Second, they should analyze HOW things are happening (effort exerted, frustration). Finally in the WHY section, they should make educated guesses as to the person's motivations and emotions.

Photo &/or Video User-based Studies: Students can use photos or videos of people in their natural setting encountering the problem or record conversations with the person as they discuss the problem so that they can go back to the recordings as they work to solve the problem.

Conduct Interviews: Having students conduct interviews with people encountering the problem is a great way to establish a connection. Students should be thoughtful as they plan the questions they would like to ask in the interview and possibly revisit the person as new questions come up during the design process.

• • Resource sheet from IDEO about Extremes & Mainstreams

  • Resource sheet from IDEO about The Five Whys

  • Resource sheet from the Collective Action Toolkit about We Saw, We Heard

  • Resource sheet from the Collective Action Toolkit about Interviewing 101

Bodystorming: Have students actually experience the problem personally so they can draw on that experience as they work to solve the problem.

Collage: Have people you are designing for make and explain a collage so students can better understand their values and thought processes.

• • Resource sheet from IDEO about Collage

Draw It: Have students or audience members draw quick sketches, graphs, or timelines to illustrate and spur deeper conversations about the problem.

• • Resource sheet from IDEO about Draw It

Ripple Effect: Have students divide into teams. On a sheet of paper, have them draw a circle then a larger circle outside of it. In the inner circle, they should then write the effects on individuals then write the effects on the community in the outer circle. From that they should share the ripple effects over time.

• • Resource sheet from the Collective Action Toolkit about the Ripple Effect

Define the Problem: Before students can begin coming up with solutions, it is important for them to clearly define their problem. The problem should be open enough to allow for creativity but narrow enough to make it manageable.

• • Resource site from Interaction Design Foundation about Defining the Problem & Interpreting the Results

  • Resource sheet from Collective Action Toolkit about Defining the Problem

  • PBL Works Driving Question Tubric (for creating driving questions)