Empathy Mapping

An empathy map is a collaborative visualization used to articulate what we know about a particular type of user. It externalizes knowledge about users in order to 1) create a shared understanding of user needs, and 2) aid in decision making.

Says

In the "Says" quadrant, we write down exactly what users say during interviews or usability studies. It should ideally include their exact words quoted directly from the research.

• "This smartphone has a great camera."

• "I think this app is easy to use."

• "I feel frustrated when the website crashes."

• "I'm going to check the reviews before buying."

Thinks

The Thinks quadrant records what the user is thinking during the experience. It answers questions like: What's on the user's mind? What's important to them? Sometimes, the content in Says and Thinks can be similar. However, Thinks focuses on what users think but might not say aloud. This could be because they're unsure, shy, polite, or hesitant to share certain thoughts with others.

• Thinks the smartphone camera quality is excellent.

• Thinks the app's user interface is intuitive.

• Thinks the website crashes are causing frustration.

• Thinks checking reviews is important before making a purchase.

Does

The Does quadrant documents the actions the user performs. It answers questions such as: What does the user actually do? How do they go about doing it? It focuses on the physical behaviors and steps that users take based on the research findings.

• Chooses to buy the smartphone because of its camera quality.

• Continues using the app regularly due to its ease of use.

• Considers switching to a different website due to frequent crashes.

• Researches and reads reviews to make an informed buying decision.

Feels

The Feels quadrant describes how the user feels emotionally. It tells us: What concerns the user? What makes them happy or excited? How do they feel about the experience overall? It captures the user's emotions and their reactions to different aspects of their experience.

• Feels impressed by the smartphone's camera capabilities.

• Feels satisfied with the app's ease of use.

• Feels annoyed and frustrated when the website crashes.

• Feels cautious and proactive about making informed purchase decisions.

Understanding our users is key to designing great experiences. Users are multifaceted, often showing contrasts—like positive actions but negative emotions. Empathy maps are invaluable tools here, revealing insights into these complexities. As UX professionals, our role is to investigate and resolve these conflicts, using empathy maps as treasure maps to uncover these nuggets of understanding. The quadrants—though they may overlap or seem ambiguous—guide us to explore every dimension of our users. If unsure where an item fits, choose one; the goal is comprehensive insight to inform our design process effectively.

One User vs. Multiple-Users Empathy Maps

Empathy maps can be created using various qualitative research methods, even when detailed research is not available. They aid UX professionals in grasping what they already know about their users and where more data is needed.

Empathy maps can focus on a single user, typically drawn from an interview or diary study log. Alternatively, they can aggregate insights from multiple users to highlight common patterns and needs.

Why use Empathy Mapping?

• Purpose throughout UX Process: Empathy maps foster team alignment and prioritize user needs effectively from the start of a project.

• Organize Qualitative Data: They distill and categorize user knowledge from research notes, survey responses, and interview transcripts.

• Identify Knowledge Gaps: Highlight areas where additional research is needed to enhance understanding.

• Persona Creation: Aggregate empathy maps to form personas, representing typical user profiles and behaviors.

• Educational Tool: Quickly convey user attitudes and behaviors to team members, guarding against biases and assumptions.

• Continuous Iteration: Regularly update empathy maps with new insights to maintain relevance and accuracy throughout the project lifecycle.

• Direct User Contribution: When users contribute directly to empathy maps, it enriches them as secondary data sources, revealing hidden insights and perspectives.

Conclusion

Empathy maps are essential tools for understanding our users deeply. When grounded in real data and used alongside other mapping methods, they:

• Minimize bias in our designs and ensure the team shares a unified view of the user.

• Identify gaps and shortcomings in our research efforts.

• Reveal user needs that users themselves may not recognize.

• Clarify the motivations behind user behaviors.

• Direct us towards innovative solutions that genuinely benefit users.