Design and Technology – The design process | e-Consult

The 'Empathise' stage is the initial phase of design thinking focused on gaining a deep understanding of the target users – in this case, elderly individuals accessing the charity's services. Key activities include:

• User Research: This involves conducting interviews with elderly users to understand their needs, experiences, and pain points when interacting with the charity's services. Methods could include one-on-one conversations, focus groups, and observation of them using existing services.
• Observation: Observing elderly users in their natural environment (e.g., at the charity's premises, at home) to see how they interact with the services and identify any difficulties they encounter.
• Immersion: Experiencing the services firsthand to gain a personal understanding of the challenges faced by users. This might involve shadowing staff or participating in activities.
• Stakeholder Interviews: Talking to charity staff and other stakeholders to understand their perspectives on user needs and existing accessibility issues.

This stage is crucial because it helps to avoid designing solutions based on assumptions. By truly understanding the users' needs, we can develop products and services that are genuinely useful, relevant, and meet their specific requirements. Failing to empathise can lead to solutions that are ineffective or even frustrating for the intended users.