Empathy and user understanding
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can analyse existing personas and create new personas to represent diverse user needs and experiences.
Key learning points
- Empathy helps designers understand different user needs.
- Not all users have the same challenges or priorities, needs or wants.
Keywords
Empathy - understanding and sharing the feelings or perspectives of others
Persona - a fictional user profile created to represent needs and behaviours
User needs - the requirements or expectations of the person using a product
Diversity - recognising differences between people and experiences
User-centred design - a design approach that puts the needs of the user first
Common misconception
Empathy just means “feeling sorry” for others.
Empathy is understanding someone’s perspective and experience to inform design.
Teacher tip
Use simple scenarios (e.g. noisy classroom, shared workspace) to model how empathy changes design thinking.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of mental health issues
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these best describes inclusive design?
Q2.Match each keyword to the correct definition:
the ability of a product or space to adapt to different needs
how comfortable, safe, and healthy a person feels
a person’s emotional and psychological state
Q3.Which product feature best supports wellbeing?
Q4.Match the keyword to the correct definition:
something that stops a person from completing a task or being content
a factor that creates pressure or tension
a chance to solve a problem through design
Q5.Which of these is the best example of reframing a barrier into an opportunity?
Q6.Why do designers study barriers to mental health and wellbeing?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What does 'empathy' mean in design?
Q2.User- design puts the needs and experiences of the user at the heart of the design process.
Q3.Which of these is an example of unempathetic design?
Q4.Match each keyword to its definition:
creating products and services that work for as many users as possible
a fictional user profile showing needs, challenges, and goals
recognising differences in people’s needs, priorities, and abilities
Q5.Designers must consider different user such as comfort, focus, and mental wellbeing.
Q6.What does 'diversity' mean in design?
To help you plan your 10 design and technology lesson on: Empathy and user understanding, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 design and technology lesson on: Empathy and user understanding, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 design and technology lessons from the Inclusive Design: Mental Health and Wellbeing unit, dive into the full secondary design and technology curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.