Ep 172| How can we empathize with the end-users to truly understand their perspectives ?

Foreign designer working in this particular product design area. It's a, it's a very important question. How can we really sympathize or empathize with the end user to understand their perspectives and where is the boundary how we can validate that, Right? Even if you do an extensive research in a project, you get this problem, some of the problems, some of the projects, you will not get time to really understand this. But in spite of that, you need to validate that because for this conditions, for these two conditions, what I've explained, you need an answer or else you can't do the project or you can't satisfy your point. So empathizing with the end user is definitely crucial, particularly if you're following a design thinking process where it allows you to gain more insights and you understand the users, their goals, their aspirations, their needs, behaviors, motivation. Let me give you in a very nutshell points, guys, how you can really improve it. Okay? There are, there are kind of like what you call six methods. I'll tell you, but this is not the only one in the world. Okay, Please have that motion with you. If you get the idea and insight of what I'm telling you, this will be a start point for you. We can't really define everything in a podcast to really do a user research and find out what the user is understanding. The ground reality is very different. We can give a template, we can give a framework. That's what textbooks and that's what courses can do. But I have taken a slight, more, slightly more overboard explaining my own perspective of how I think and what is my experience in 8.5 years of experience with 70 plus projects I've got. Okay, but I'm telling you with a caution, you have to take more and connect with your current problem, with your current reality, with your ground, whatever you are working in order to do it. Okay? The very first thing is observational research. See, you're doing a research, right? You're doing a questionnaire research or want to under such a personal interview, please have an observation, conduct it very specifically in order to observe their natural environment. People really act differently, guys. When you ask something, they do differently. When you watch something, they do differently because that's their behavior. And humans are prone to make errors. In fact, as a good designer, you need to tolerate that errors also in your design. Don Norman always used to tell that because we humans are prone to make errors, okay? We are not machines or robots. So it's a designer's inherent ability to understand that. You know what? This helps you understand Their own routines and habits and conscious and subconscious behaviors. A study published in Journal of Usability Studies found that observational research revealed insights into user interaction patterns with the technology see leading to a more user centric design. So this study really clearly shows that observational research revealed insights very clearly into users interaction with a particular technology. It's not a you understand something guys, that's very important. Second is interviews and surveys, which is normal method. You know, you engage in a structural interview, you talk with the people's question. Sometimes you want a very small input like yes or no. You do it in a what you call quantitative way. If you need a very detailed answer, you go in a qualitative way and you can do both. You can interview more than 30 people to get some pattern, less than 30 people. If you do, you will not get a very good pattern. Guys, okay, so if you're doing it beyond 25 to 30 people, you start emerging some patterns. If you do 60 people it's better. 600 people, it's better. 60,000 people. Rock solid answers you will get. Okay, but if your time constrained project is there, at least do with 30 and more so you can study some. International Journal of Human Computer Interaction found that interviews and surveys provide valuable insight into user emotional response. This provides a greater base for the product designers to really understand in a deeper level. Now having understood these two steps which is observational research and interviews and surveys, now do a mapping. See people call it as an empathy mapping, but I would suggest Map it out. Map it out. Guys, whatever you think is a mapping which you are finding with your users, please map it out. There is nothing called empathy mapping which they will ask you to define it and then if you're not telling the definition, they'll throw out of the job. Please come out of this school and college thinking mindset. Okay, so if you. In fact I would say if you're not knowing what is mean by empathy mapping, you will get hundred times design job better compared to the person who have learned all these jargon words and don't know how to use it and where to use it. Okay, just be in the presence of mind automatically your mind will tell you superb ideas. So create some map in order to visualize your users thought process their habits. What did you observe? What is the kind of patterns are you seeing? If you are able to see this pattern, guys, I'm telling you, you will be able to understand the user much better rather than their direct answers. It's all about finding patterns. If you're not able to find Patterns. Your quality as a designer is still not matured. You need to really work on it again. Don't ask me how to improve the quality of the pattern making things. I've recorded a separate podcast. But it's all in your curiosity and the intention. Why you wanted to become a designer needs to be very strong. If you have that motivation automatically you will have a very focused attention towards finding the patterns what normal people don't see. Okay. A research published in Design Management Journal studies shows that empathy mapping facilitates a deeper understanding of user needs aspiration. It leads to a greater solution. Right? So do this mapping guys. Four fourth is create a Persona. If you're not able to develop a Persona, you will not target a particular user. You will not be specific guys. See specific is terrific. You know why Google is not really working now chatgpt is working. Chatgpt is giving you a very specific input in terms of demography, psychographic, behavioral characteristic. You have to really prove that personal Persona in a more detailed way. If you're able to do that Persona, let me tell you guys, you will have an understanding of your user much better. A usability study demonstrated that personal development enhances designer sympathy towards providing a human centered research approach in order to bring a great solution. Fifth is you can do an immersion and role playing. This is exceptional technique. My favorite guys. See if you really go and sit with them and have dinner, have lunch and you can stay in their house and experience their lifestyle for at least 10 days. Hey Jagdish, 10 days is too much. If you really want to get to the core of any problem, you need to at least spend some time with them. Guys, immerse yourself, role play with them. Try to create some role play intentionally and also try to be in their lifestyle and observe what they're really doing in a personal level. A research published in International Journal for Design highlighted that immersion and role playing enabled designers to gain first hand insight into user channels, challenges and frustrations. So see guys, in fact it impacts your driven your decision making in design solutions. Guys. Okay, be careful. This is a very very superb technique. Sixth is co creation. See you can collaborate with different users. You can collaborate with what do you call stakeholders or direct stakeholders or indirect stakeholders in your project. Have a mutual co creation workshop and all ideal to bring this upliftment of the society. What else we can do? Instead of you doing that project, you ask that people also. You know what they'll. They'll tell something which you will not expect. They'll. You may be thinking we can create a golf. What do you call stadium or sports or this super complex market they'll be asking for a clean drinking water. That's it. See. So that's why people what they say is very different. So that's why this kind of a method really works. So let me quickly recap you guys. Observational research, interviews and surveys, empathy mapping, personal development, immersion and role playing co creation workshop. If you're able to do this guys, you will have a greater understanding in your user. Can I tell you, a report by Forrester shows that companies who really prioritize the real understanding and empathy in their design process outperform their competitors by 85% in their revenues. Design Management Institute found that design driven companies which prioritize empathy in design process are 50% more satisfied customer. Harvard Business Review indicates 64% of the customer site shares value as a primary reason for establishing a great relationship with the brand. So highlight the importance of this empathy guys, to you and your team. It's very vital. Even if they're not doing it, take care of it. I hope this podcast would have given you great clarity. Give me a best star rating if you find this useful in Apple and Spotify. If you need my mentorship support to learn all these things in a more accountable way, I highly, highly recommend you. You can join my mentorship program by sending an email. Okay, thank you guys. Take care. All the best. It.