Develop a Set of Questions Designed to Uncover Users' Deep-seated Needs and Emotional Responses, Appropriate for Use in Empathy Visits

Developing a set of questions for empathy visits involves crafting inquiries that delve into users' experiences, emotions, and underlying needs. These questions should be open-ended, non-leading, and designed to encourage users to share detailed, personal stories. Here’s how to develop such questions:

Steps to Develop Empathy Questions

1. Understand the Context:

   • Know the purpose of the empathy visit.
   • Research the user demographic and context of their interaction with your product or service.

2. Focus on Open-Ended Questions:

   • Avoid yes/no questions.
   • Use “how,” “why,” and “what” to invite elaborate responses.

3. Cover Various Aspects of the User Experience:

   • Ensure questions explore a range of topics: daily routines, specific experiences, challenges, and emotional responses.

4. Start Broad, Then Narrow Down:

   • Begin with general questions to build comfort and rapport.
   • Gradually move to more specific questions about the user's experiences and feelings.

5. Include Probing Questions:

   • Prepare follow-up questions to dig deeper into interesting or revealing user responses.

Sample Questions for Empathy Visits

General Context

1. Tell me about your typical day.

   • Probing: What are the most enjoyable and challenging parts of your day?

2. Can you describe a recent experience you had with [product/service]?

   • Probing: How did you feel during and after this experience?

Specific Experiences

3. What problems or frustrations do you encounter when using [product/service]?

   • Probing: Can you recall a specific incident when you felt particularly frustrated? What happened?

4. What do you enjoy most about using [product/service]?

   • Probing: Can you share a moment when you felt particularly satisfied or happy with it?

Emotional Responses

5. How do you feel when you encounter [specific problem/situation]?

   • Probing: Why do you think you feel this way?

6. What worries or concerns do you have regarding [product/service]?

   • Probing: Can you tell me about a time when this concern impacted your decision or behavior?

Underlying Needs

7. What do you wish you could change about [product/service]?

   • Probing: How do you think this change would impact your experience?

8. What do you feel is missing from [product/service] that would make it more valuable to you?

   • Probing: How would adding this feature or aspect improve your daily life or tasks?

Broader Implications

9. How do [product/service] fit into your life or work routine?

   • Probing: Can you describe how your routine would change if you no longer had access to it?

10. What other products or services do you use in conjunction with [product/service]?

    • Probing: How do these complementary products/services help you achieve your goals or solve problems?

Tips for Conducting Empathy Visits

• Build Rapport: Start with casual conversation to make the user feel comfortable.
• Listen Actively: Show genuine interest and listen more than you speak.
• Observe Non-Verbal Cues: Pay attention to body language and emotional expressions.
• Be Non-Judgmental: Create a safe space for honest feedback without judgment.
• Take Notes: Record observations and direct quotes for deeper analysis later.

By carefully crafting and utilizing these questions during empathy visits, you can gain profound insights into users' needs and emotional experiences, leading to more empathetic and user-centered design solutions.