Wednesday 16.9.26

at 15:00 Zoom Link

a seminar lecture-  M.Sc. student in Industrial DesignSupervised by Dr. Daniel Metcalfe, Industrial Design Program, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology,and Prof. Anna Zamansky, Head of the Tech4Animals Lab, Department of Information Systems, University of Haifa.

Empathy is central to design thinking, yet it is studied as a means of understanding human users rather than as an outcome of the design process. This study examines how designing for animals may influence components of empathy toward them. The study involved four groups of children during the  summer break of 2025 at ‘Natural Bonds’ Farm in Ramat Gan.

For the experiment, a design-thinking-based workshop was developed, in which children observed animals and their environment, learned about their behavior and needs, identified challenges, and developed solutions to improve their welfare.

The qualitative study combined observations, group discussions, interviews, and analysis of design processes and outcomes. Findings indicate a shift from perceiving animals as objects of cuteness or pity toward recognizing them as subjects with needs, preferences, and limitations, alongside a transition from observation to action, problem-solving, competence, and agency. A tension also emerged between seeking immediate results and a process requiring observation and delayed solutions.