Empathy at Work: Explaining the Who, What, Why and How

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EMPATHY AT WORKExplaining the Who, What, Why & How

@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyAndrea Gallagher, Bernadette Irizarry, Dawn Nidy, Indi Young and Dr. Joseph Leehttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

June 1, 2016

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Q1 Everyone is talking about empathy these days Why? @UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

[Andrea will ask each panelist to respond to this, with Joey talking last to wrap up with the broader concept]Primary responders: JoeyMinor responders: All

Bern Historically there is a return to distributed and connected workIndi Technology has caught up, it has come out of its awkward teen yearsDawn Were comfortable blaming the productJoey Culturally we are able to handle it2

Photos: John Wesley Ramsey, Laura Ramsey, Mindel LernerScale. Expertise. Experience.@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

This new way of working during the industrial revolution was jarring on a variety of fronts. Work moved from hand to machine; people accustomed to the close relationships formed in small communities felt trapped in chaotic cities; and a capitalistic system began to emerge that leveraged the intense work ethic of the farmer while layering in an obsession with scale.

http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/1968/3

@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

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Q2 How might we think about empathy when creating products or services?@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

2) In our work as Product Development teams, how might we think about empathy?

Primary responders: IndiMinor responders: Bern

Indi explains the difference between cognitive and emotional empathyCore ways it helps in developing products and servicesEmpathy as listening (a bit about not all research leads there)

Previous notes:What are the different levels and applications? (Am I already doing empathy?)

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emotional empathy


Its also how actors and authors convey a character to you. If you dont feel what the character is feeling, you lose half the story. Its like a bolt of lightning that zaps you with the persons feeling.6

in your work

emotional empathy supporting another person through an emotional process (real-time)@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

Which is where you get sensitivity7

cognitive empathyinner voice as a person aims atan intent or purpose


It's more than being sensitive to others' emotions. It's about supporting different people in different ways according to their purpose. Not their needs or goals. Their purpose.

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in your work

cognitive empathysupporting another person in achieving their purpose (over time)


Which is where you get sensitivity9

MakeThinkCheckThe Solution@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

DesignIdeasDeliveryThe SolutionVVVvalidateV@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

DesignIdeasDeliveryThe SolutionVVVideas have surfaceddesign has taken formdesign is formingvalidateV@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

DesignIdeasDeliveryThe SolutionVVVideas have surfaceddesign has taken formdesign is forming

SimmerListenWalkPeopleCreative Inspiration

prior to ideas: develop empathy about the larger purpose/intent

validateV@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

Post-DESIGNWhy are our customers behaving the way our quantitative data depicts?

Post-IDEADid we look at this from all angles?

Pre-IDEAAre we leaving brilliant ideas undiscovered?@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

When You Have Questions -- Post-design, post-idea, pre-idea

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DesignIdeasDelivery

SimmerListenWalkThe SolutionPeopleCreative Inspiration

VVVvalidateV@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

evaluativegenerativequantitativequalitative


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evaluativegenerativequantitativequalitative

problem spacepre-ideas, exploring persons larger purpose/intentsolution spaceideas have surfaced &/or design has some form


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Q3 UX and Research teams have owned empathy. Does it have to be that way?@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

Primary responders: JoeyMinor responders: Bern, then Dawn

Joey nobody needs to uncage empathy it is innateBern: teams can put the ownership mantle downDawn: Magic happens18

The biggest single source of innovation is typically the engineers. They know whats possible better than anyone.The magic happens when developers get and see customer painMarty cagaN@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

DAWN:And the importance of empathy for engineers was summed up beautifully in this quote from Marty Cagen during an interview at Intuit a few years ago. He said the magic happens when developers get and see customer pain because they know whats possible and when armed both with that knowledge and the understanding of the customer pain, they are often the source of innovation.19

Q4 How do we get others to pick up the work of empathy effectively?@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

Primary Responder: Dawn (Lots to show here)Secondary Responder: NA20

Accountant pain in collecting & sorting data@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

KRISTY:Sometimes your domain knowledge, or even lack of knowledge, on a subject can get in the way of you fully understanding what your customer goes through, but by utilizing an analogous experience, you can often create a similar emotional state.

So let me set the stage for this next example:

After observing accountants during tax season we learned that:Collecting documentation from clients is time consuming and painful Once documentation is collected, the accountant has to sort through mountains of paperwork to find what they need clients would actually bring boxes like you see in this image, full of paperwork that the accountant has to go through.Missing or incomplete data is a problem that interrupts the workflow of the accountant and results in them having to continue to ask/nag their client

So first we have collecting and sorting data we know that getting data from clients is painful, and then once they have it, they have to sort through it to find what they need and discover anything that might be missing and that causes disruption to the workflow.

As a side note, these are pictures taken from a real accountants office they get so much paperwork it fills every corner of every space in the office.

So we wanted our employees to understand the pain an accountant goes through during the rush of tax season,but trying to recreate exactly what they go through would require significant tax domain knowledge, which our team did not have. Instead we needed to create an experience that would elicit the same emotions without needing the domain expertise.

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ACCOUNTANT ROLE PLAYING@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathy

KRISTY:To do this, we used an online survey, simple word documents and dropbox to create the experience. Participants were asked to imagine they were an accountant during tax season: they had to communicate with fake clients throughout the process using open ended questions in the survey,

(CLICK) They downloaded the clients documents from dropbox, sorted through those documents to find and tally the ones with the name of a color on them.

(CLICK) and then finished by entering the totals for each document type to determine the amount of taxes their client owed.

They did all of this with a 15 minute time limit to simulate the rush of tax season.

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ACCOUNTANT ACTIVITY


This short video shows about 50 of our developers going through the activity just to give you a visual of how it worked23

I could feel the urgency in getting the activity completed which reflects the reality of tax deadlines.Accountants are more flexible than I thought I had a stigma that they are stuck in their ways, but I had to pivot a lot during the exercise depending on the clients, and it made me realize that Accountants have to adjust to accommodate their clients.

How did this make you feel?

Stressful. Rushed. Time Pressed. Frustrated.Mary made me mad.ACTIVITY REACTIONS@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

KRISTY:Im not sure if you can tell from the video, but the experience itself is completely standalone everything was monitored and paced through the survey tool, but we usually ran it as a group and then spent time debriefing afterwards.

When we introduced the activity it was met with a fair amount of skepticism from the participants mostly because it seemed simple and a little silly, but afterwards they were genuinely surprised by how much they learned and how much they could empathize with what accountants go through. They also shared that the exercise made them feel stressed, rushed and frustrated all emotions that accountants can relate to during the very busy tax season.

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LEADERSHIP Interview customers@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

DAWN:One of the first things we focused on in stage two was getting people in our organization to interact with customers directly mostly through customer interviews. The first time we created research and interview guides to help them get started, and often recruited the customers for them, but we had them go through the process of actually interviewing the customer

For our program, we specifically started with our leadership team. We knew they were steeped in the perspective of their stakeholders, but not as grounded in the day to day usage of the products and services they owned. We hypothesized that by better understanding their end users, theyd get more empathy and become greater champions of the program and role-models for the rest of the organization to follow.

But then we asked them to do it again, the second time with less guidance. We found that some leaders were ready: they found their own customers, asked really good questions, and came back with interesting insights. Others, however, needed more help and guidance, which is where the coaching aspect of this phase comes in.

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Skills workshops


KRISTY: As we expanded our interview initiative beyond the senior leadership team, we started to notice significant gaps in the peoples skill levels when it came to how they interacted with customers. We knew that part of our second phase we wanted to work on developing the skills and capabilities of our organization and decided that our first skill building workshop should be focused on interviewing!

In this hour long workshop, we focused on fundamentals first encouraging the participants to stop thinking of their customer interactions as interviews, and focus instead on listening and letting the customer drive the conversation. We also challenged them to let go of their solution and just be present in the moment with the customer.

(CLICK) After we went through some of the mindsets, we then had them practice these listening skills with one another using specific scenarios and taking turns being the interviewer, the customer or just an observer.

(CLICK) We created little takeaway cards that outlined common pitfalls to avoid such as talking more than the customer, or teaching instead of listening

(CLICK) And best practices to focus on like being present and asking open ended questions.

The cards were guidelines we established that made sense for our team, but you could think about what would be appropriate for your own organization and create your own. I still see people with these cards tucked into their badge holders so that they are with them at all times.

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CUSTOMER OFFICE HOURS

My team learned a lot today. Thanks for the opportunity to connect with other developers.Thanks for setting it up. We move at a million miles an hour over there so it's rare we get an opportunity to stop and get an objective viewpoint on anything.@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

KRISTY: And on the topic of customer interactions - another method we have used to help our organization directly interact with their customers is office hours.

We noticed that although teams were starting to really understand and embrace the power of customer empathy, there was still a perceived barrier to getting access to their customers. The time and effort it takes to decide who, what and when was often enough to stop a team from connecting on their own and we wanted to address that.

So we created an office hours environment where wed bring in customers and allow employees to drop in and connect with them. Our research team recruited a sampling of customers that we thought would be relevant to the majority of employees and then just sent out an email indicating when theyd be available and asking interested employees to sign up for time. With internal customers, we designated 20 minute time blocks and allowed 3-4 teams to talk to any one customer, but with external customers we usually go for 30 minute segments and limit each customer to two teams so as not to overwhelm them. But you could do whatever works for your group!

Teams were really excited to have a chance to talk to customers and share their ideas- especially because they wouldnt have made the time to do it on their own.And they loved the fact that it took almost no effort for them.

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Q5 How do we know were being empathetic? Is there a wrong way to do it?@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

If we are going to put more effort into empathy, hHow do weyou know weyoure being empathetic or not? What is the wrong way to do it?

Primary: IndiSecondary: Joey28

many applications of empathy:persuade (change beliefs, behavior)encourage growth, maturitysupport intents & purposes of otherscommunicate clearly; tone, vocabact like someone elsedark patterns


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Q6 Audience Questions@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

If we are going to put more effort into empathy, hHow do weyou know weyoure being empathetic or not? What is the wrong way to do it?

Primary: IndiSecondary: Joey30

Extra SlidesFollow from here on

If we are going to put more effort into empathy, hHow do weyou know weyoure being empathetic or not? What is the wrong way to do it? 31

A model of peoples behavior, beliefs, & emotions in a certain scoped situation

Capabilities, competition, business goals, technical foundations, slotted where appropriate to support that behavior


problemidea!idea!idea!idea!@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

problemidea!idea!idea!idea!problem@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

problemidea!idea!idea!idea!problemhow other people reason toward a purpose@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

problemidea!idea!idea!idea!idea!idea!idea!idea!idea!idea!idea!idea!idea!idea!idea!how other people reason toward a purposeproblem@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

May or may not be *better* ideas; certainly broader range36

keep stuffing your brainhow other people reason toward a purpose@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

emotional empathy@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

Its also how actors and authors convey a character to you. If you dont feel what the character is feeling, you lose half the story. Its like a bolt of lightning that zaps you with the persons feeling.38

cognitive empathyunderstand what went througha persons mind


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emotional empathyFrom Pixars characters Sadness and Bing Bong, Inside OutSadness: Im sorry that they took your rocket. They took something that you loved.Joy: How did you do that?Sadness: Oh, I dont know. He was sad, so I listened.


Sadness fixes Bing Bong with emotional empathy, where Joy failed with her tickling and energy to fix things40

Photos: John Wesley Ramsey, Laura Ramsey, Mindel Lernerlarger, human intent or purpose@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

That dont have to do with the services or things a person has, but the human things that your great-grandparents thought about and planned for.41

develop empathylisten

apply empathywalk in shoes@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

Developing empathy requires listening to many different peoples stories to understand how their thinking goes. There is a practical way to do this, and to draw reliable patterns from the words which can guide you42

Photo: William Murphy, flickr infomatique/7599598276a listening session is like going on a tourdont ask the guide about something that isdown the street or outside their topics@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

many applications of empathy:persuade (change beliefs, behavior)encourage growth, maturitysupport intents & purposes of otherscommunicate clearly; tone, vocabact like someone else@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

Back up a step44

tasksgoalsintents & purposes@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

book a flighttake a triphike the Grand Canyon@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187



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Now that I found out the cost, I want to book two seats. And add a third for a friend who is not going to be there for the same length of time. No way to do this.50

average per day332,982209,54871,567137,98125-3435-4445-6565-75businesspersonalcombo@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

Why report numbers by gender? Why not age? Destination? Vacation vs. business trip? 51

Examples: Spurious Correlations http://www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

As much as this sweet little picture is something we wed like to be true.Usually the two things we correlate at work are more related. Insidious.Our minds like to simplify things.52

check things I cant get through security (beer)check bulky gifts, poster, scuba gearworry I will lose my checked bagassume my checked bag will be thrashed againwonder what the white powder was on my bagkeep my expensive medical device with memake sure my guitar is not damaged in baggagecarry on computer, camera so its not stolenavoid rolling bag through connecting airportrealize picking up checked bag only adds 5 min.


Age, gender, economic meansthese do not matter here.53

Not AgainThere were those two times where my checked suitcase came back with white powder all over it; what was that?! And the time my suitcase was totally thrashed, so much so that I had to buy a new one. It was a pain to file a claim. Or worse, there was that time they lost my luggage and I had to take time out to go shop for replacements during my trip. Those were awful experiences.

Won't Go OnboardI usually bring my stuff on board with me, but there will always be an exception. That time I brought beer back from Belgium to share with my friends--no way I was getting that through security. Or when I was presenting a big poster at a conference, I had to check it. Snorkeling gear and stuff for vacation didn't all fit in my roll-aboard. So there are times when I have to check stuff.Protect StuffI was bringing a very expensive piece of equipment to colleagues, and no way was I going to let the gorillas toss it around. I was sure they would break it. It would be an annoying setbackto lose my laptop, and have to take time to recover the data and set up a new one. My guitar has sentimental value, so itneeds to be in its case, protected in the overhead bin.

Terminal Experience: It only adds five minutes to my transit time to go down to the carousel to pick up my bag. Once I realized that, I decided to make it easier on myself inside the terminal. No maneuvering bags in the restrooms. No hefting the roll-aboard up to the bin, or dragging it up steep jetways. No juggling my stuff when I pay for and pick up food at the counter. It's easier on me this way.

unfamiliar with this road & didnt expect pedsnever been here; searching for sign, addressdistracted by a commotion, surprising image

I did not see the peds at allthe car in the other lane blocked my viewthe sun was in my eyes, so I didnt see ped

as a driver, I have the right of way on the roadtheres a law that says I have to stop?!?the law is that peds must wait for an opening

I didnt want to slow down the cars behind meI didnt want to wait, and Im faster than a pedI was going somewhere more important than peds


average per day332,982 passengers209,548 checked bags137,981 female (66%) 71,567 male (34%) 8,842 age 65-75 63,890 age 45-65 78,098 age 35-44 55,652 age 25-34 56,309 business 98,993 personal 54,246 combo@UXPA2016 #UXPAempathyhttp://www.uxpa2016.org/sessionsurvey?sessionid=187

Why report numbers by gender? Why not age? Destination? Vacation vs. business trip? 56