Why Software Projects Fail: Lack of Empathy

Many software projects fail for one fundamental reason: we're all human. This post is part of our series taking a deeper look at three human factors to consider in your software projects.

Lack of empathy is one of the top reasons software projects fail almost right out of the gate. To be successful, products must focus on what people actually need. That seems obvious, but it's surprising how many software projects start without adequate research.

Why Does Lack of Empathy Cause Software Projects to Fail?

Empathy is not always easy when it's competing with other priorities. It takes constant effort to keep the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of your users top of mind while you're wrestling with code, making design decisions, and balancing budgets.

When empathy slips, products stop solving real problems and start solving assumed ones. That's where projects go sideways.

What Does Empathy Actually Look Like in a Software Project?

"Empathy is a strange and powerful thing. There is no script. There is no right way or wrong way to do it. It's simply listening, holding space, withholding judgement, emotionally connecting, and communicating that incredibly healing message of 'you're not alone." -- Brene Brown, Daring Greatly

Empathy in software projects begins with user research, but it can't end there. It needs to be at the center of as many decisions as possible related to the product.

We kick off every one of our projects by drawing backwards with research. Those insights then help us aim our arrow at the right target when we bring stakeholders together in a Design Thinking workshop. As we co-create personas, journey maps, and other artifacts, we grow our understanding of how people feel and think about the problem.

That shared vision serves as a guide when designing pages, building features, or writing microcopy. More importantly, it sets the tone early that we're dedicated to keeping user needs front and center.

Empathy can take many forms. For successful software projects, it often takes the form of a thousand small decisions that lead to delightful moments for the end user.

Who on the Team Is Responsible for Empathy?

Empathy is not only the responsibility of researchers. True software project success relies on empathetic team members who take the needs of end users to heart in everything they do.

Everybody on the team -- from marketing, to design, to development, to executive leadership -- needs to cultivate and maintain empathy. Not only for users, but for each other.

Teams that have empathy for each other work better together and have better work environments. Collaboration is key to any successful project. Empathy helps team members understand the needs behind the requests they get from each other.

How Do You Build an Empathetic Team?

One of the most powerful ways to cultivate empathy among your project team is to lead by example. When leaders are empathetic to the needs of their teams, they build teams of individuals who have each other's backs.

How Do You Keep Empathy Going Throughout a Project?

Empathy is not a destination. There is no arrival at some magical land where you can feel and think like everybody else.

Empathy requires constant effort and attention. It demands that teammates hold each other accountable and remind each other of the people within their products.

Like other skills, empathy builds over time through practice and experience. Like other skills, it can also erode through neglect. You need to build and rebuild empathy with every project.

The great thing is, once you've practiced using empathy in your software projects, it makes it that much easier to continue using it in future projects.

FAQ

Why do software projects fail due to lack of empathy? Projects fail when teams build what they assume users need rather than what users actually need. Without empathy driving research and decision-making, products miss the mark from the start.

When should empathy be applied in a software project? From day one and all the way through. Empathy starts with user research, runs through design and development decisions, and continues into every piece of microcopy and every feature built.

Is empathy just a UX designer's job? No. Everyone on the team -- designers, developers, marketers, and leaders -- needs to bring empathy to their work. It's a shared responsibility, not a siloed one.

How do you build empathy into a software project process? Start with research. Use Design Thinking workshops to co-create personas and journey maps with stakeholders. Let that shared understanding guide decisions across the entire product development lifecycle.

Can empathy be learned, or is it something you either have or you don't? It can absolutely be learned and strengthened. Like any skill, it grows through practice and erodes through neglect. Every project is an opportunity to build it back up.

Looking for ways to build more empathy into your projects? Start with some of our empathy exercises and learn why we put empathy and research at #3 in our 12 competencies of UX design. If you need more hands-on assistance, we're just a click away. Let's talk about how empathy can make sure your next software project is a meaningful and delightful success.