Empathy Map

discoverylowerBeginner

TL;DR

Visualize what your user says, does, thinks, and feels to generate empathy within the team.

What is it

The Empathy Map is a collaborative visual tool that organizes what we know about a user into four quadrants: what they say, what they do, what they think, and what they feel. Originally created by Dave Gray (XPLANE), it's one of the fastest ways to synthesize qualitative research and generate shared understanding within a team.

What it is for

✓Synthesize interview data into a quick visual format
✓Identify inconsistencies between what the user says and does
✓Generate empathy with users in stakeholder workshops
✓Complement or precede the creation of User Personas

Research methods that feed it

In-depth interviewsContextual observationUsability tests (qualitative observations)Shadowing

When to use it

✓As a quick synthesis exercise after interviews
✓In alignment workshops with stakeholders
✓As a precursor to more detailed User Personas
✓When you need quick empathy without a full formal deliverable

When NOT to use it

✗As a substitute for real research (must be data-based)
✗If you already have detailed, updated Personas
✗To communicate findings to technical audiences that need concrete data

How to create it step by step

1Prepare data: Gather interview notes, observations, and verbatim quotes from at least 5 users.
2Draw 4 quadrants: Says, Does, Thinks, Feels. Add 2 additional sections: Pains and Gains.
3Fill each quadrant: Use post-its with verbatim quotes (Says), observed actions (Does), informed inferences (Thinks), and detected emotions (Feels).
4Identify tensions: Look for contradictions between what they say and do — that's where the most valuable insights are.
5Prioritize pains and gains: Mark the 3 most critical pains and 3 most desired gains.
6Document and share: Photograph or digitize the map. Include it as a quick reference alongside Personas.

Tips for small teams

Do it in 30-45 minutes after interviews as a synthesis exercise
Use a whiteboard or Miro to do it collaboratively
One map per user segment is enough
Include real verbatim quotes — they add more credibility

Common mistakes

✗Filling the map with assumptions without research data
✗Not distinguishing between 'Thinks' and 'Says' (the difference is the insight)
✗Doing it individually instead of as a team (loses its collaborative value)
✗Creating overly generic maps that apply to anyone

Contextualized example

Context: Telemedicine app for older adults in Chile.

Says: 'I'm afraid of making a mistake with technology', 'I prefer going to the doctor in person'.

Does: Asks their children for help scheduling appointments, abandons the flow when too many fields appear.

Thinks: 'What if I mess up and can't cancel?', 'This is for young people'.

Feels: Anxiety when using new interfaces, relief when someone guides them step by step.

Key insight: The user says they 'prefer in-person' but their real barrier is fear of making mistakes, not an actual preference.

Phase

discovery

Audience

product-teammultidisciplinary

Complexity

lower

Experience level

Beginner

Related deliverables

Related methodologies

Free tool by UXR — UX Research Consulting in Chile