The imperative for adopting collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches when solving the wicked problems of the 21st century (Head 2022), alongside the use of co-design and participatory design practices in human-centred industries, has driven an increased need for designers to routinely employ empathy to understand lived experiences. In response, this paper examines literature on empathy from diverse fields, and introduces the notion that designers are empathetic labourers, who are increasingly at risk of compassion fatigue, burnout and/or vicarious trauma.
Current practice in design education promotes the use of empathy focussed design methods, especially given their power to shape meaningful design outcomes for end-users. However, we have identified a lack of curriculum focused on training young designers in the deployment of protective practices (intentional strategies and interventions that balance risk factors and promote resilience) when working as empathetic labourers – a notion common in the training of health, education and justice workers.
Drawing on the authors’ experiences as design educators and practice-based design researchers in trauma-informed care (Cassidy) and interdisciplinary collaboration (Vickers) the paper proposes the outline for a strengths-based model of design education and practice that integrates protective practices for designers. The value of this will be to empower the next generation of designers to tackle human-centred and life-centred design challenges with a stronger grounding in methods and mechanisms for their sustained wellbeing.