1. the ability to step outside of yourself
[ empathy ] and see the world as other people do.
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2. Needfinding
Discovering people’s explicit and
implicit needs so that we can
create appropriate solutions.
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3. Needfinding
To imagine solutions that don’t
exist, look for needs that haven’t
been met.
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4. Needs Solutions
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5. need ’ned n [ME ned, fr. OE nied, ned] 1 :
necessary duty : OBLIGATION 2 a : a lack of
something requisite, desirable, or useful b: a
physiological or psychological requirement for the
well-being of an organism 3 : a condition requiring
supply or relief 4 : lack of the means of
subsistence : POVERTY
– Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate
Dictionary
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6. need ’ned 1 : a physical, psychological or cultural
requirement of an individual or group of individuals
2 : something missing. VERB.
solution se-’lü-shen 1 : an object, action or
e e
process that satisfies a need. NOUN.
– Stanford Needfinding
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7. Needfinding
So how do you find out
what people really need?
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8. Key Concept
Observations take many forms.
Watch. See the world with new eyes.
Listen. Ask open ended questions.
Do. Walk in their shoes.
Buy. Purchase competitive and analogous solutions.
Read. Mine both core and peripheral information.
Reflect. You know more than you think you do.
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9. Key Concept
Use A-E-I-O-U to observe the world around you.
A – Activities
E – Environments
I – Interactions
O – Objects
U – Users
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10. IMAGE: © Jump Associates
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11. Key Concept
Seven ways to build empathy for people.
1. Be open to seeing the world in new ways.
2. Watch first, believe what you see, and ask
questions later.
3. Separate out what you see from what you
interpret.
4. Make it about them, not about you.
5. Get stories by asking simple, open-ended
questions.
6. Let participants set the agenda.
7. Use participants’ own words.
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12. Key Concept
Be open to seeing the world in new ways.
As Marcel Proust said, “The real magic of discovery
lies not in seeking new landscapes, but in having
new eyes.”
To get beyond your own frame, acknowledge that
you have your own personal way of seeing the world,
and then get ready to challenge it.
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13. Key Concept
Watch first, believe what you see, and ask questions
later. unfold and pay attention as they do.
Let things
Resist discounting people or what they say.
Don’t ignore things that are off-putting or
contradictory, take note of them.
Don’t bias towards things that support your version of
the world.
People make sense!
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14. Key Concept
Separate out what you see from what you interpret.
Turn off your inner interpretations.
Don’t assume you know why they do what they do—ask.
Keep the facts as pure as possible while in the field.
Bracket your interpretations separately in your field book.
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15. Key Concept
Make it about them, not about you.
Create the interview norm.
Limit talking about yourself.
Don’t reference your own experiences when they
bring up theirs.
Talk 10% and listen 90%.
Ask a question and wait two seconds.
Turn off your cell phones.
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16. Key Concept
Get stories by asking simple, open-ended questions.
Use simple language.
Allow the participant to interpret the question to best
suit what they want to tell you.
“Tell me about…,” “Can you describe…,”
Don’t
• Ask questions that can be answered yes/no
• Are multiple choice (not theirs)
• Have an implied right/wrong
• Represent theories you’re trying to test
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17. Key Concept
Let participants set the agenda.
Follow their lead.
Use your mental GPS to track progress.
What’s important to them is important to you.
Let them tell the stories they want to.
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18. Key Concept
Use participants’ own words.
Enter their world.
Put them in the role of the expert.
Don’t correct their words or pronunciation.
Avoid introducing business jargon.
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19. “The only real voyage of discovery
consists not in seeking new landscapes,
but in having new eyes.”
– Marcel Proust
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20. Exercise
Prepare for fieldwork.
Tips for doing the interviews…
• Open the interview with easy questions
• Stay engaged with your interview subject: Think
about body language
• Have roles for each person on your team: Interviewer,
note taker, photographer

21. Exercise
Prepare for fieldwork.
Interview questions
As a team, think about 3-4 topics you want to cover and
come up with a list of 10 questions to ask during your
interview.
Tip: Write open-ended questions that get them to tell stories about their
experiences.
Wide research
As a team, brainstorm a place that you can observe
people, environments or interactions related to your topic.
Tip: Bring new eyes to looking at places that you may be familiar with,
but haven’t thought of it from the point of view of an older person.