Empathy

“I can’t come up with any new ideas if all I do is exist in my own life.”

Emi Kolawole from the d.School, Stanford University

Beyond the mere knowledge of specific technology (which you will use plenty of at the Hackathon), success in solving challenges (big and small) in our digital age requires critical thinking, iterative prototyping and collaboration to create human-centered solutions. It means being fluent in the methods and processes that help groups enact meaningful change, regardless of the scope of the issues at hand or the complexity of the problem to be solved.

Design thinking is one of these processes, and it can serve as a helpful framework in tackling the seemingly impossible with a series of iterative steps that encourage ideation, experimentation and collaboration. Design thinking is also a mindset, and it requires that individuals seeking to innovate start from a human-centered approach. This is what ensures that what you create will be meaningful, impactful, and help to create a more desirable future.

Watch this short video below on the importance of human-centered design:

Starting with Empathy

Creating innovations for humans means working from a place of human-centered design. As such, the design thinking process begins with empathy, or more simply being open to understanding people. As you design, ask yourself questions about the people you are designing for:

  • What do they do and why do they do it?
  • What are their needs?
  • How do they think about the world? What do they care about?

For a brief introduction on empathy in action, watch this short video from Emi Kolawole, Editor-in-Residence of the Stanford University d.school.

Empathy sets the foundation for all of your design work, and there are certain tasks that you can complete to work from a place of empathy

  • Observe your target users behavior in their context
  • Engage in conversations with them, eliciting information through their stories and lots of "why" questions
  • Experience their current context by walking in their shoes and perform tasks with them

As Emi shared in the video, take the time to immerse yourself in the world for which you are designing as a means of opening up "new creative possibilities" and leaving behind "preconceived notions and outmoded ways of thinking."

More on Empathy and Design Thinking

We will begin the Hackathon with a design thinking bootcamp that will have you exploring several of the creative mindsets that are a part of the process, to include empathy and optimism. However, if you are energized by the topic and want to learn more, here are some helpful resources.