Reflexive Thematic Analysis on Empathy Phase for Developing an Educational Website

The rapid expansion of digital learning has positioned educational websites as essential tools for knowledge delivery, yet many continue to fall short of learners’ expectations. While previous studies have documented technical and usability challenges, less attention has been paid to how students interpret these experiences and how such interpretations can inform empathetic design. This study applied reflexive thematic analysis (RTA) within the empathize phase of Design Thinking (DT) to investigate learners’ lived experiences with educational websites in higher education. Thirty-nine respondents from a public university in Saudi Arabia participated in semi-structured interviews, which were transcribed and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase RTA framework. Four interrelated themes were identified: navigation, design, layout, and compatibility. Navigation difficulties, such as broken links and inconsistent menus, eroded trust in websites as reliable learning platforms. Poor design, including lack of responsiveness and accessibility, was experienced as exclusionary, while cluttered layouts increased cognitive load and disrupted concentration. Compatibility failures across devices and browsers were interpreted as barriers to equitable participation, particularly for mobile-first learners. The study contributes methodologically by demonstrating how DT and RTA can be integrated to capture both the functional and symbolic meanings learners assign to digital design. Practically, the findings highlight that clarity, inclusivity, simplicity, and cross-platform reliability should be treated as foundational requirements in educational website development. By centering empathy and reflexivity, this research reframes usability not only as a technical concern but as a pedagogical and ethical responsibility in digital education.