Skilling towards empathy

I often hear “Empathy” referenced as an inherently unique skill during interviews with designers. If you were to create a word cloud visualizing how the modern UX/Product Designer describes themselves, “Empathy” would be an attribute: BOLD, 40pt font, along with “Figma”.

UXRs get to practice empathy as advocates for our users. Personas are an empathy tool designed to help communicate a users goal. They help us empathize when framed alongside actions, thoughts, and feelings our audience may recognize.

It’s a skill I practiced daily with teams during the pandemic, WFH, witnessing the vulnerability of colleagues sharing their homes and personal lives. There was a heightened level of kindness and compassion—a gift we gave each other daily.

How do we develop empathy as part of effective communication?

When paired with honesty and trust, the three tie together to illustrate an EQ workflow, a pillar of effective communication.

1. Without honesty, transparency, and vulnerability (courage), it’s hard to build…
2. Trust. Without trust, it’s difficult to be…
3. Empathetic.

If you’re going to state that your skill is empathy, come prepared to show how you used empathy and the outcome of it.

When was a time when you used empathy as a designer?
As a human?