When designers are designing projects related to users, it is crucial that every time they follow an approach of building something that will resolve user-related complications while fulfilling their own requirements. Absolutely, there is also room for innovation and self-expression, though this should not be the prime focus of a designer. In order to completely apprehend the requirements of a user, it is essential to have empathy as a designer. In UX design, where strengthening the user satisfaction is vital, empathy is an essential skill. In simple words, empathizing authorizes designers to comprehend users in an appropriate manner. It lets designers look for in-depth situations in a way which helps them to think and generate solutions for problems. Here, I am talking about the role of empathy in UX design.
If you have agonized that empathy is not a skill that you can possess upon. Then hopes are alive for you! There are multiple ways to strengthen your baseline empathy skills to become more impactful and apprehending, not only as a designer but as a human. There are certain things which you can do to develop the essential skills to have more empathy for UX design.
Everyone is a listener but not a good listener. If you really want to understand your users, try to listen to them carefully, and listen to them attentively so that you can have deep understanding and comprehension of them. Listen not only with your ears but listen with your senses available. Be present and obliging. While communicating, try to observe not only what is said to you but also in which way it is being conveyed.
Not every person wants to come to you directly and say which precise part of your UX is failing. Actually, they might not be aware of how to elaborate it. In the real world, you have to learn how to pay assistance to expressions (verbal and non-verbal), body language, and environments. While communicating, attentively observe the other person’s actions while the interaction process is going on. If you are running an online business, see what are the opportunities over video conferencing solutions like Google Duo and Skype in place of backing out on a phone call – where body language is nowhere.
Everything comes down to interaction. Don’t be shy to ask others to describe their stand and experience. This is the straight way of understanding others but it is also a barely used procedure. Colleagues in your circle can be great for surface level insights but it is likely that they’ll emphasize only on affirmative feedback, to get rid of the feelings which hurt you.
The approach towards, the role of empathy in UX design is a crucial step towards enhancing both your product skills as well as your people skills that will reach to your users. UX can be a positively subjective matter and it definitely varies from person to person.