On a Sunday in August 2020, Wang Man and Brigitte facilitated a Design Thinking Bootcamp for the marvellous Ladies Who Tech in Beijing. The audience was predominantly women, invited to bring their children along. While the adults worked in one room, a separate session ran for the kids — four girls, guided by their colleague Gao An, exploring the theme of “Happy Family.”
Their first task: empathise with mothers. Specifically, answer the question — what does a mum need?
It was a revealing exercise from the start, not least because none of them had ever thought to ask it. They began with a picture brainstorm — flipping through glossy advertisements and pulling out whatever spoke to them. The verdict: mums, apparently, need a great deal of luxury and serenity 😉
The next step was an Empathy Map. Here, as in any corporate workshop, the challenge is to move beyond stereotypes and ground observations in real evidence — specific examples, not assumptions. What the girls uncovered about the emotional reality of mothers turned out to be considerably less glamorous than the mood board suggested.
When mums speak, apparently, they give orders. “Do your homework!” “Practice the piano!” “Walk the dog!”
The lower right corner tells a different story — one of relentless multitasking. Working, running the house, being present for the family, all at once.
And what goes on inside a mum’s head? “Don’t give up.” “Don’t fall behind.” “I have responsibilities (for the dog ;)).” “I need time for myself.” “I want to have fun.”
Our girls were not entirely satisfied with our emotional state. Angry, stressed, moody, and tired came up with some regularity. We are, it seems, also hard to understand. The saving grace: happiness made the list too. Small mercies.
What do your children see, think, feel, and hear when they look at you? We’d love to read your thoughts in the comments.