Understanding the Empathy in the Design Thinking Process
MohammadaliHaddadian1, KhairulAidilAzlin Abd Rahman2, VeluPerumal3, Sumarni Ismail4
1MohammadaliHaddadian,Faculty of Design and Architecture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
2KhairulAidilAzlin Abd Rahman*, Faculty of Design and Architecture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
3VeluPerumal, Faculty of Design and Architecture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
4Sumarni Ismail, Faculty of Design and Architecture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
Manuscript received on November 12, 2019. | Revised Manuscript received on 23 November, 2019. | Manuscript published on December 10, 2019. | PP: 1631-1635 | Volume-9 Issue-2, December 2019. | Retrieval Number: B7412129219/2019©BEIESP | DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.B7412.129219
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: Empathy has been referred to as one of the main aspects and the key impact factor of Design Thinking (DT). The DT process allows the outcome to be a technically viable solution, while being a desirable output for the users (consumers of the products) and an economically feasible project. The production in the DT process starts with the user’s desirability to reach pleasurable and better products. A common approach to gain a desirable output is having empathy with the users. The empathy implies understanding the individual’s desires (their functional and supra-functional needs). Several techniques have been identified for uncovering the users’ needs and reaching the maximum empathy; albeit it is not achieved straightforwardly. There are lots of products and services in life that are not as delightful, enjoyable and pleasurable as it should be for the end users. The big concern in this context, yet, is to identify the gap in understanding the users’ needs in the empathy approach. In line with this, the present research is an endeavor to identify the issues associated with empathy in the DT process and to recognize the obstacles for deep and real empathy with the end user. This paper majorly revolves around reviewing the Empathy and the DT. Findings acknowledge that misunderstanding is a common phenomenon in the Empathy approach in the DT process and the leading cause for this misunderstanding is attributed to the users’ supra-functional needs. Indeed, it is underscored hereby that misunderstanding the empathy might result in unpleasant senses among the users, as well as leading to producers’ unplanned charges, suggesting that the designers would be urged to minimize misunderstanding in the empathy approach.
Keywords: Design Thinking, Empathy approach, Misunderstanding, Supra-functional Needs.
Scope of the Article: Program Understanding and System Maintenance