Job Location
Customer Understanding
Empathy Maps
Empathy maps are visual tools that help teams gain deeper insight into their customers' minds. They typically consist of four quadrants representing what the user says, thinks, does, and feels, offering a holistic view of user experience and perspectives.
BUDGET
4
/5
Cost-effective as it primarily requires time and existing data; no special tools or technology needed
EFFORT
3
/5
Moderate effort required to collect comprehensive data and synthesize it into the map
IMPACT
4
/5
Provides significant insights into user psychology and behavior, which are crucial for effective design
PRODUCT LIFECYCLE STAGE
User Discovery and Research, Design and Development
GOALS
Understand User Emotions and Thoughts: Capture the emotional and cognitive responses of users to better understand their experiences.
Enhance User-Centric Design: Provide a foundation for making more empathetic and user-centered decisions in product development.
Bridge Communication Gaps: Help teams communicate more effectively about user needs and experiences.
IMPLEMENTATION
Gather User Data: Collect data through user interviews, observations, and other research methods.
Create the Map Layout: Draw a simple quadrant layout on a large paper or digital tool.
Fill in Quadrants:Says: What the user articulates about their needs and experiences.
Thinks: What the user is likely thinking, but not saying.
Does: Actions the user takes in real-life scenarios.
Feels: Emotions the user experiences.Analyze for Insights: Look for patterns or inconsistencies across the quadrants.
Share with Team: Discuss the empathy map with your team to align on user needs and insights.
Update Regularly: Revise the map as you gather more data and insights.
TIPS FOR TESTING THE RESEARCH
Multi-Source Data: Use data from various sources to fill in each quadrant for a comprehensive view.
Team Collaboration: Involve team members from different functions to provide diverse perspectives.
Continuous Iteration: Regularly update the map as you learn more about your users to keep it relevant.
AI PROMPT
Based on our attached user interaction logs, can you summarize key emotions, thoughts, and behaviors to help us update our empathy map for our main user persona?
EXAMPLE
A software company developing a meditation app used empathy maps to understand the diverse needs of their users. The maps revealed that while most users said they wanted to reduce stress, they felt anxious about finding time for meditation and thought it wouldn't fit into their busy schedules. The insights led the team to focus on creating short, guided meditation sessions that users could easily integrate into their daily routines, addressing both stated and unstated needs effectively.
Try the Empathy Mapping Exercise.