Our public systems are shaped by historical, political, cultural and legal forces and have developed over time with little regard to the “experience” of individuals using them. Yet, empathy is a core value for designing a human centered system. “Design thinking,” a term I came across when exploring the idea of empathy in systems, actually begins a design process by attempting to empathize with the intended user of a process or product.

The good news is that empathy can be learned, taught and practiced. An online BBC magazine article states “According to the latest neuroscience research, 98% of people … have the ability to empathise wired into their brains.” In her recent Atlantic essay “America’s Insensitive Children?” Jessica Alexander writes about programs that teach empathy to children in Denmark. What makes the Danish approach notable in my opinion is that it is a mandatory feature of the Danish schooling system.