Empathy map

List of required equipment

• prepare a digital template to explain the empathy map

• prepare a blank printed or digital form of the empathy map

• self-adhesive papers in four colours

• pencils

What can I learn from this? (outcomes)

• develop empathy.

• research the market in a case study.

• develop analytical thinking and synthesizing.

• learn collaboratively and work in a team.

• create an empathy map of a potential customer or user.

How can I do this activity? Steps

Step 1: Define the User/Person:

• Think about the user/customer you want to map. Create a detailed profile, specifying:

  • Gender, age, and appearance (clothes, style).

  • Interests, hobbies, and education level.

  • Profession and lifestyle preferences.

  • This will serve as the foundation for filling out the empathy map.

Step 2: Complete the Empathy Map:

• Use sticky notes to record insights from your research material and place them into the relevant quadrants of the empathy map.

• Focus on answering the following questions for each quadrant:

Quadrant 1: What does the user HEAR?

• Who influences the user? (Friends, family, media, celebrities)

• What are the user’s favorite brands or products?

• What communication channels (TV, social media, podcasts) are they exposed to?

Quadrant 2: What does the user THINK and FEEL?

• What are the user’s concerns, worries, or fears?

• How does the user feel about the world around them?

• What are their dreams, aspirations, and motivations?

• How do they feel when interacting with the product or service in question?

Quadrant 3: What does the user SAY and DO?

• What are their hobbies and daily activities?

• What do they say about their experiences with the product or service?

• How do they behave in everyday situations?

Quadrant 4: What does the user SEE?

• What environment is the user in? (At work, at home, outdoors, etc.)

• What products, people, or things does the user typically notice around them?

Step 3: Identify User Concerns and Needs:

• From the information gathered, focus on the user’s concerns and needs:

  • Concerns: Identify what the user is worried about or frustrated by. What barriers or obstacles prevent them from achieving their goals?

  • Needs: Define the user's needs in terms of actions they want to take or things they desire. Use verbs to describe these activities. What do they need to feel satisfied or happy? What solutions would resolve their problems?

Step 4: Generate Solutions:

• After categorizing the user’s concerns and needs, reflect on possible solutions. Ask questions like:

  • How can you help the user overcome their frustrations?

  • What could make their experience with the product/service more enjoyable?

  • How can you address the user's specific needs, e.g., "How can we help housewives make a good lunch?" or "How can we help students manage their time better?"

Reflection tips

1. After creating the empathy map, interpret the collected information about the user/customer

2. Emphasize the problems and needs of the user/customer

3. List examples of solutions to problems and concerns for the observed user from the folder and form questions, and one of the examples is: "How could we help the housewives make a good lunch?"

Reflection questions:

What insights did you gain from creating the empathy map?

What key problems and needs did you identify for the user?

What are some examples of solutions to address the user’s needs or concerns?

How could your solutions improve the user’s experience and meet their expectations?

Anexes

https://drive.google.com/file/d/146SulH8RNgbizGhCNf_J_Lq9z7Z7wvZF/view?usp=sharing