Design and empathy

Abstract

Over the past ten years, at the Royal College of Art, a body of knowledge has been built up around the practice of working closely with older and disabled users, and good evidence has emerged of the impact this has on the thinking of young designers, and the extent to which that is carried through into professional practice. The process has been one of learning by doing, and the underlying ideas are very straightforward, but the value lies in the impact this has on design outcomes and the extent to which it has prompted mould-breaking work, and driven the shift in thinking and practice, from technical aids and assistive devices to inclusive design. There are many caveats to the process, and issues about which users to work with, how to go about that, and whether or not such relationships are exploitative. But overall, what has been learnt is that given appropriate, supporting information and methodologies, and access to a well-organised and representative network of users, the process can be very effective.