Empathy Interviews Lesson Plan Empathy Interviews: Uncover Needs!
Lesson Plan • 8th Grade Design Thinking
Tier 1 Classroom
Duration
30 Minutes
Approach
Hands-on & Reflection
Audience
8th Grade Students
Why this matters
Understanding others' perspectives is crucial for solving real-world problems. This lesson helps students develop critical listening and analytical skills to uncover genuine needs, which is the first step in designing impactful solutions.
Materials
• Empathy Interview Script
• Interview Skills Slides
• Interview Protocol and Notes
• Needs-Finding Rubric
• Exit Ticket: One Need to Address
Preparation (15 min)
Review Lesson Plan and all linked materials.
Set up projector for the slide deck.
Print copies of the Protocol, Rubric, and Exit Ticket for each student.
Instructional Steps
5m
Warm-Up: Review Interview Goals
Project the 'Do Now' slide from Interview Skills Slides .
Engage students in a quick review of what an interview is and its purpose, specifically focusing on empathy and understanding another person's experience. Use the Empathy Interview Script to guide the discussion.
15m
Plan & Conduct Interviews
Distribute the Interview Protocol and Notes and explain the task. Present relevant slides on active listening and effective questioning.
Pair students up for interviews. One student interviews, the other takes notes, then they switch roles after 7 minutes.
Circulate and provide support, ensuring students are actively listening and recording observations and direct quotes.
5m
Identify Needs & Prioritize
Bring students back together. Instruct them to individually review their notes.
Guide them to identify at least two needs their interviewee expressed. Encourage them to use the Needs-Finding Rubric to understand expectations.
5m
Share & Reflect
Students complete the Exit Ticket: One Need to Address , focusing on one key need.
Briefly share out some of the identified needs as a class. Facilitate a discussion on how these identified needs could inform future projects.
Learning Objective
Students will conduct a short empathy interview and extract two needs to inform action.
Interview Skills Slides 01
Do Now
Interview Goals
?
What makes a good interview?
?
Why do we conduct interviews?
Unit 01 • Empathy Fieldwork
Your Mission
Understand Someone Else's Perspective
Listen more than you talk.
Ask "Why?" and "Tell me more..."
Focus on feelings and experiences.
Mastering Active Listening
Making eye contact
Nodding and staying engaged
Asking clarifying questions
Avoiding interruptions
"I hear what you're saying... could you tell me more about that feeling?"
Finding Needs, Not Solutions
A Need is...
A core problem, desire, or motivation.
A Solution is...
One specific way to solve that problem.
Example:
"I need a reliable way to remember to water my plants." (Need) vs. "I want an app that pings me." (Solution)
Your Protocol
1
Introduce
Thank them and explain why you are here.
2
Ask Questions
Use open-ended "Why" questions.
3
Listen & Record
Take notes on quotes and feelings.
4
Switch!
Swap roles after 7 minutes.
From Notes to Needs
Review your notes carefully.
Look for patterns or recurring themes.
Identify at least TWO core needs.
Write them down clearly and concisely.
Great Work, Interviewers!
You've practiced a vital skill. Identifying needs helps us create better solutions.
Next Step: Brainstorming Solutions
Interview Protocol and Notes Guide Project Log #082
Empathy Interview Protocol
Field Observation & Needs Recording
Name:
Date:
Your Goal: To deeply understand your interview partner's experience. Remember, this is about their perspective, not yours.
Interview Steps
1. Introduction (1 min)
Introduce yourself and thank your partner. Explain that you want to understand their perspective on today's topic.
2. Ask Questions (5 min)
Ask open-ended questions. "Tell me about a time when..." or "How did you feel when..." and follow up with "Why?"
3. Active Listening
Don't interrupt. Nod, make eye contact, and jot down specific words they use.
Focus Topic:
Teacher will provide the topic here...
Field Notes
Direct Quotes & Keywords (What did they say?)
Observations & Emotions (How did they seem? Surprise? Frustration? Joy?)
!
Needs Extraction
Review your field notes above. Look for deeper patterns. What is your interviewee really struggling with or looking for? Avoid listing solutions (products); focus on the underlying need.
Identified Need #1
Evidence: "They said they felt..." or "I noticed they..."
Identified Need #2
Evidence: "They said they felt..." or "I noticed they..."
Confidential Researcher Notes • Empathy Interview Protocol v1.0
Needs-Finding Rubric Needs-Finding Rubric
Empathy Interview & Analysis Assessment
ASSESSMENT_ID: NEEDS_01
Criteria Exceeds Expectations (4) Meets Expectations (3) Approaching (2) Below Expectations (1) Interview Conduct Asked insightful, open-ended questions; demonstrated exceptional active listening (e.g., clarifying, empathizing). Asked mostly open-ended questions; demonstrated active listening (e.g., nodding, some clarifying questions). Asked some closed-ended questions; showed inconsistent active listening. Primarily asked closed-ended questions; rarely demonstrated active listening. Note-Taking Recorded detailed observations and numerous direct quotes; clearly distinguished between facts and interpretations. Recorded relevant observations and several direct quotes; mostly distinguished between facts and interpretations. Recorded some observations or limited direct quotes; struggled to distinguish between facts and interpretations. Recorded few observations or direct quotes; notes were disorganized or heavily interpretive. Needs Identification Identified two or more clear, distinct, and insightful needs directly supported by interview evidence. Identified two clear and distinct needs supported by interview evidence. Identified one need, or needs were unclear/not well-supported by evidence. Did not identify any clear needs, or identified solutions rather than needs.
Instructor Feedback
Total Points:
/ 12
One Need Exit Ticket Exit Ticket
One Need to Address
Student Name
Date
Reflect on the empathy interview you conducted today. Choose one significant need that your interview partner expressed or that you identified from their responses.
1. What is the one key need you identified from your interview?
2. Why do you think this need is important to address?
3. How might addressing this need make a positive impact?
Empathy Interview Script Empathy Interview Script
Instructional Facilitation Guide • 30 Minute Session
Teacher Resource
1. Warm-Up: Review Interview Goals
0:00 - 0:05
SAY:
"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! To kick things off today, take a look at the slide. We're going to review what makes a good interview and why we conduct them. Think-pair-share with a partner for about two minutes: what do you think the goal of an interview is? Why do we ask people questions?"
(Allow students to discuss. Call on a few pairs to share their thoughts.)
SAY:
"Excellent points! Today, we're diving into something called an 'empathy interview.' The word 'empathy' is key here. Can anyone tell me what empathy means?"
(Listen for responses, guide towards understanding and sharing feelings.)
2. Plan & Conduct Interviews
0:05 - 0:20
SAY:
"Now that we know our goal, let's get ready to conduct our own empathy interviews! I'm handing out the Interview Protocol and Notes guide. While I'm handing these out, look at the slides for active listening skills."
Display Interview Skills Slides on active listening and effective questioning.
SAY:
"When you take notes, capture direct quotes. Jot down observations – what was their body language like? You'll be in pairs. One of you will be the interviewer, and the other will be the note-taker. After 7 minutes, I'll tell you to switch roles. Your topic for today is: ___________________."
3. Identify Needs & Prioritize
0:20 - 0:25
SAY:
"Bring it back together. Great work! Now individually, look at your notes. What patterns do you see? Identify at least two distinct needs from your interview. Think about what they really need, not just what they said they want."
4. Share & Reflect
0:25 - 0:30
SAY:
"I'm handing out an Exit Ticket . Choose one of the needs you identified. Describe it, explain why it's important, and how addressing it might make a positive impact. These empathy skills will be incredibly useful in our next unit!"
