8-hour Workshop · On-site · In-person
Designing for Empathy
Overview
In this live full-day, in-person workshop, you'll learn how to deeply understand your users and translate that understanding into meaningful design decisions. We'll explore methods for cultivating genuine empathy, moving beyond surface-level personas to truly grasp the emotions, motivations, and challenges that shape user experiences.
You'll leave with practical techniques for conducting empathic research, creating actionable empathy maps, and embedding a culture of user-centricity into your team's design process. Whether you're improving an existing product or starting fresh, this workshop will transform how you connect with the people you design for.
Live, in-person workshop
On-site, wherever you are
One full day, or two half days
4 to 12 participants
Certificate of completion
What changes after this workshop
- Your team stops designing based on assumptions and starts designing based on real user insight.
- Research synthesis becomes more actionable. You know what to do with the insights you gather.
- Tradeoff decisions become easier. You have a clearer picture of what matters to your users.
- Your products feel more personal and intuitive. Users notice the difference.
- Cross-functional teams align around user needs, not internal preferences.
What you leave with
- An empathy map template customized to your team's product and context
- An interview guide for conducting empathic user research
- A synthesis framework for turning raw research into design direction
- An insight-to-action checklist for translating findings into features
- A set of empathy prompts to use in design critiques and reviews
- A certificate of completion for each participant
Workshop alumni include designers & thought leaders from a wealth of fantastic companies.
Choose this workshop if...
- Your designs are functional but feel distant or generic to users
- You have user research but struggle to turn it into actionable design decisions
- Your team relies too heavily on assumptions or outdated personas
- You want to build a culture where user understanding drives every decision
Not a fit if...
- You're looking for quantitative research methods. This workshop is about qualitative depth.
- You need help defining design principles. Check out our Design Principles workshop instead.
- Your team has no access to users. You'll need at least some user contact to apply the methods.
Presentation
Split Up
Full Group
Sharing Sessions
Kick-off
Introduction to Empathic Design
Kick-off
The Empathy Spectrum
Session 1
Understanding User Emotions
Session 1
Cognitive vs. Emotional Empathy
Session 1
Empathy Mapping Deep-Dive
Session 1
Sharing Insights
Break or continue next day
Session 2
Recapping Session 1
Session 2
From Insight to Action
Session 2
Designing Inclusive Experiences
Session 2
Validating with Users
Session 2
Your Empathy Toolkit
Wrap-Up
Q&A
Facilitator
With well over a decade of experience, Paul has been a steadfast advocate for design that genuinely cares about the human experience.
His journey has been marked by exciting collaborations with industry giants like Unity, GetYourGuide, Shopify, Coinbase, and many others, imparting invaluable insights that not only elevate his own design, but also empower and elevate designers of all levels to create meaningful experiences that truly resonate with users.
Paul van Oijen
Designer · Teacher · Public Speaker
We had years of user interviews sitting in docs no one read. After this workshop, we finally knew what to do with them. Our next feature shipped with half the iteration cycles.
Maya Chen
VP of Product Design, Consumer Fintech
After the intro call
Tailored agenda
We send you a customized agenda based on what we discussed, along with a quote.
Review and confirm
You review, request any adjustments, and confirm the dates that work for your team.
Workshop day
We show up ready to go. You just need a room and your people.
Straightforward, transparent pricing
Before you pay a dime for the workshop, we schedule a 30-minute intro call to understand your team's needs and tailor the content accordingly. This ensures the session is as relevant and impactful as possible.
Travel Costs
The costs for travel are based on the distance between your location and that of your facilitator.
Workshop Location
Up to 8 participants
Workshop cost
$2999 USD
Travel
Variable
Total
Starting from $2999 USD
Up to 16 participants
Workshop cost
$4999 USD
Travel
Variable
Scale Discount
- $700 USD
Total
Starting from $4299 USD
Any questions in the room?
At this stage, you probably have a few questions. We welcome them! We're also more than happy to cover any questions in our intro call.
Full-day, in-person workshop
Anytime · Wherever you are
Facilitated by Paul van Oijen
Book a 30-minute intro callNo commitment. We'll tailor the agenda to your team.
5 Continents
We've conducted workshops for teams across the globe and back, from foggy San Francisco to neon-lit Tokyo.
1000+ Participants
From groups as small as 4 to jam-packed conference rooms of 28 designers & thought leaders.
Countless Aha! Moments
Our workshops have helped hundreds of teams shift perspectives and make better product decisions.
Not the workshop you were looking for?
Check out some of our other rotational workshops.
8-hour workshop
From $2999 + travel