A quick and effective activity for teaching empathy.

1. The Consumer Mind and Behavior Design
d.school Studio 1 (2nd floor)
Friday, October 11, 2013
10am – 5pm
Dr. Steph Habif sehabif@stanford.edu / Nir Eyal neyal@stanford.edu

2. We’re gonna have a three-way!
Talker
Observer
Listener

3. Phase 1. 10 minutes
Each threesome is going to have a total of 9 minutes to converse.
Conversations Rules: Here are the rules.
1. Talker
2. Listener
3. Observer
Decide who is going to be who – Once you have decided who you are observing, write their
name at the top of the page.
The Listener starts the conversation -Ask The Talker about his/her last memorable shopping experience.
-While those two people are talking with each other, the Observer is taking conversation
notes (HANDOUT 1: blank pieces of white paper).
-Each person will have three minutes to tell a story.

4. 10 minutes
Great, once that is over, we’re going to go around again, but this
time, the Observer gets to ask the Talker up questions. The observer
can ask the talker to clarify, define, continue, explain – ask away.
Continue to add to your conversation notes. Again, three minutes
each. (9 minutes)
Wrap Phase 1. Great. Thank you everyone.
Phase 2. 10 minutes
Now, everyone turn to (Handout 2: Say/Believe/Do/Feel)
Consult your conversation notes. On your own, use post-its or just
write directly on the handout – what did the talker
Say, Believe, Do, Feel. 5 minutes.
Great. Pens down.
How was that for you – let’s discuss. Pop-corn style.
What did you observe? 5 minutes

5. Phase 3. Let’s practice observations as a group.
12 minutes
Steph (one of the teachers) is going to be the interviewer.
Nir (one of the teachers) is going to keep time.
4 minutes per person. (12 minutes)
I need volunteers to be my interviewees (students).
The topic needs to be something really ubiquitous…….
For everyone else observing, write down your conversation notes.
What does the person do, say, believe, feel??

6. SAY
BELIEVE
HUMAN
DO
FEEL

7. User Group Empathy Map

8. WHY EMPATHY IS IMPORTANT
you want to design
something that will
be used by people
to design something
meaningful you need
to understand their
lives, their
behavior, their beliefs
to design something
that people will
use, it has to fill a
need and fit into
their lives

9. design thinking