A review of

Design, Empathy, Interpretation: Toward Interpretive Design Research

The MIT Press

208 pages, 6 chapters

About this book

by Ilpo Koskinen

Book Website

A good reference for UX Theory and Case Studies

Primary audience: Researchers and designers who have some or significant experience with the topic

Writing style: Academic

Text density: Mostly text

Learn more about our book review guidelines

Design, Empathy, Interpretation: Toward Interpretive Design Research, by Ilpo Koskinen, explores the evolving field of interpretive design, focusing on empathic design research as practiced in Helsinki, Finland. Koskinen traces the history of this user-centered approach, offering insights into how design bridges human experiences and technological innovation. Through case studies and researched frameworks, the author illustrates how interpretive design can contribute to meaningful, collaborative design research practices that extend even beyond nonhumans.

The foundation of interpretive design research relies on a simple yet profound argument: Design is no longer a top-down process in which designers act as legislators of human behavior, dictating how people should use technology. Instead, as designers shift into a more interpretive role, they become intermediaries, facilitating user interaction and the designs that ultimately shape user experiences. In the introduction of the book Empathic Design, Koskinen, Battarbee, and Mattelmäki (2003) pay tribute to the work of Polish-British social theorist Zygmunt Bauman, who makes a distinction of power between the experts and the interpreters. Experts have the authority to make the rules, so they are the “legislators.” But interpreters’ knowledge is a tool that aids in communication and understanding; the author writes, “With this distinction, empathic design became interpretive” (Koskinen 2023, 13).

The core concept of interpretive design research, as defined in this book, is grounded in a theory of meaning. To understand human action, the author argues, we must first understand the meanings people attach to their surroundings—whether that be other people, physical objects, or abstract concepts like cities and ideas. These meanings, constantly created, maintained, and transformed through interaction, form the foundation of human behavior. Interpretive design research, therefore, seeks to translate these meanings into actionable frameworks that can guide the design process. For example, Paris, France, can mean different things to different people at different times. Some might love Parisian fashion, and others might not even consider the association (Koskinen 2023, xiii).

Through a historical lens, the book traces the origins of interpretive design research back to user-centered design, which first emerged in the 1990s. Designers like Darrell Rhea, Dorothy Leonard, and Jeffrey F. Rayport championed empathic design as a way to spark innovation by focusing on users’ emotions and experiences. Koskinen writes, “Interpretive design research has its origin in user-centered design” (2023, 136). However, this framework has evolved significantly over the years. Who exactly is the user? Does this archetypal figure represent a diverse range of identities—gender, age, ethnicity—or has design research, consciously or unconsciously, adopted a narrow focus on certain types of individuals?

The author raises these important questions to challenge the reader to think critically about the potential biases in design. To reflect on bias, the author examines the experiences of the group of researchers and their occupations, the participants included in their research, and the identities of the participants. The author argues that interpretive design helps us move user experience beyond biases. Koskinen writes, “We may lose the simplicity of the concept of “user” but win an immensely rich view of human beings” (2023, 139).

One of the book’s compelling sections delves into the nuances of interpretive design research and how it departs from other research traditions in design. The author explains that interpretive design is particularly well-suited to design research’s programmatic and dialectical traditions. It thrives on dialogue and collaboration, encouraging researchers to share their findings with others in the field to spark debate and further refinement. This method fosters a constantly evolving understanding of human experience that is rooted in empathy and open communication.

In recounting their experiences working with engineers and researchers in Helsinki, the author provides a compelling case study of how interpretive design research was applied in real-world contexts in the “Interactive Prototyping” class at Aalto University in Helsinki. Koskinen collaborated with electronic engineer Jussi Mikkonen, a former colleague from Morphome, the Metamorphosis of the Home project (Mäyrä et al. 2006; Koskinen et al. 2006), to demonstrate how design can transition from a practical craft to a structured research methodology.

The class was tasked with finding solutions to a critical safety issue identified by government statistics: the dangers of front-seat drivers interacting with children in the back seat. Students were tasked with creating concepts and prototypes to make these unavoidable interactions safer and more engaging. Students gathered user studies through interpretative fieldwork, role-playing, bodystorming (physically situated brainstorming; see Buchenau and Fulton Suri 2000), low-fidelity prototypes, and interaction testing. The class allowed students to merge interpretive methodologies with practical solutions, demonstrating the transformative potential of design research in addressing real-world challenges. The collaboration with engineers highlights a key strength of interpretive design research: its ability to integrate multiple disciplines and perspectives into a coherent framework that prioritizes user experiences while embracing the technical demands of modern design challenges.

The book also tackles pressing contemporary debates in design. One such debate is the emerging critique that user-centered design, while once revolutionary, may have contributed to some of the global issues we face today (for example, the work of John Thackara). Scholars such as Colomina and Wigley in 2016, Forlano in 2017, Giaccardi and Redström in 2020, and Wakkary in 2021 argue that designers have the responsibility to foster harmony and to give a voice to nonhuman users (Koskinen 2023, 143). The author acknowledges that interpretive design, with its focus on human action and meaning, may struggle to address this critique directly. However, they suggest that interpretive design can still contribute to these conversations by working with specialists in fields that study nonhuman entities, thereby expanding its scope without losing its interpretive essence. Koskinen concludes the book with this hope, “Maybe interpretive design research could be a way to achieve a new science of meaning that makes the blue marble of Earth a nurturing environment for everyone” (2023, 148).

As the book reaches its conclusion, it reflects on the potential future of interpretive design research. The author argues that, despite the movement in design research away from a purely user-centered perspective, the interpretive approach remains as relevant as ever. By interpreting and translating human experiences into design frameworks, researchers can continue to push the boundaries of what design can achieve, especially in terms of creating more inclusive and empathic solutions. The author offers a hopeful vision that interpretive design research, when combined with other progressive approaches, could pave the way for a more sustainable and equitable future—one that considers human needs, the needs of the environment, and other living beings.

In summary, Design, Empathy, Interpretation: Toward Interpretive Design Research presents a thorough and nuanced examination of how design is evolving into a more interpretive and collaborative process. By analyzing the history of empathic design through the practical lens at Aalto University in Helsinki and critiquing broader trends in the field, the book provides an insightful roadmap for the future of design research. It challenges readers to think critically about the meanings we assign to the world around us, urging designers to move beyond mere functionality and aesthetics toward a more empathic, interpretive practice.

In our introduction to Empathic Design, Battarbee and I followed Bauman: “Designers are changing from legislators to interpreters who mediate user experiences into the design process. Instead of seeing designers as legislators who know better, it has become more common to characterize design as an interpretive profession” (Koskinen and Battarbee 2003, 40). With this distinction, empathic design became interpretive.