Empathy map
This job aid presents an empathy map to enable product and service designers not only to understand user behaviour, but also to visually communicate their understanding to others.
Purpose
Empathy maps can be used to:
- communicate knowledge about a particular type of user
- create a shared understanding of user needs and motivations
- display user attitudes and behaviours at a glance
- reveal possible knowledge gaps about a user
- aid in decision-making
Desired outcome
A visual representation of the users' behaviours and attitudes that helps to understand and create an affinity with the user's perspective as the user tries to perform a task or achieve a goal.
When to use
- Before building or redesigning a product, service or program to get an initial shared understanding of the users and their needs.
- At regular intervals as your user segment changes.
Pairs well with these job aids
How to use
- Select the type of user you want to explore further.
- Complete the template on page 2 based on your experience of the user. You may use the template's prompting questions as inspiration.
- Hear and see: What types of influences are your users exposed to in their environment?
- Do and say: What types of actions and behaviors are you observing?
- Think: What mental preoccupations might your users have? What does this tell you about their beliefs?
- Feel: What types of emotional preoccupations are your users
- Share your thoughts about the users with your team and summarize them. This process may identify new needs, new attitudes, new behaviours and possibly even yield new insights.
Tips:
- Consider the positives: Identify as many positive experiences for the users as you can.
- Consider the negatives: Identify as many negative experiences for the users as you can.
- Consider any additional interesting points: Identify all the interesting points that you have not yet considered for the users.
Empathy map example
Empathy map example
| Problem |
Responses |
Who are we empathizing with?
- Who is the person we want to understand?
- What is the situation they are in?
- What is their role in the situation?
|
|
What do they see?
- What do they see in their immediate environment?
- What do they others saying and doing?
- What are they watching and reading?
|
|
What do they say?
- What have we heard them say?
- What can we imagine them saying?
|
|
What do they do?
- What do they do today?
- What behaviour have we observed?
- What can we imagine them doing?
|
|
What do they hear?
- What are they hearing others say?
- What are they hearing from friends?
- What are they hearing from colleagues?
- What are they hearing second-hand?
|
|
What do they think and feel? (Pains)
- What are their fears and frustrations?
What do they think and feel? (Gains)
- What are their wants, needs, hopes and dreams?
- What other thoughts and feelings might motivate their behaviour?
|
|
