Designing with Empathy: Lessons from Teaching in Rural Taiwan

Before I studied design, I taught English to children in rural Taiwan. I didn’t speak much Mandarin at the time, and many of my students didn’t speak English. We had to rely on gestures, visuals, and a lot of patience.

That experience made a lasting impact on how I approach UX. It taught me that clarity isn’t just about language, it’s about making things make sense at a glance. It showed me the power of visual communication and the importance of designing for people who may not share your background, assumptions, or tech fluency.

Today, whether I'm designing a mobile app or a desktop interface, I always ask myself: would this make sense if you couldn’t read the text? Would the visuals and flow still guide you? It's a question rooted in empathy, and one I return to often.

That summer also taught me to never underestimate the emotional side of design. When someone feels lost, confused, or left out, it's not just a usability problem, it's a human one. Designing with empathy means tuning into those feelings and designing with care.

Designing with empathy doesn’t mean lowering complexity, it means raising clarity. Every user brings a different lens, and it’s our job to make sure the experience still feels thoughtful and intuitive, no matter who's using it.

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