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Empathy Map

What is an empathy map?

An empathy map is a simple canvas that organises what you know about a user into four areas: Says, Thinks, Feels, Does. It helps teams align on the user’s perspective and spot gaps between what people say and what they do or feel.

Use it when: you’re synthesising research after interviews or observations, or you want the team to build shared empathy before defining a problem statement or persona.

Copy/paste template

Draw four quadrants (or use a template). Label: Says | Thinks | Feels | Does. Optionally add Pains and Gains.

  • Says: Direct quotes from interviews or surveys.
  • Thinks: What they might be thinking but not saying (inferences).
  • Feels: Emotions, worries, hopes (use emotion words).
  • Does: Actions and behaviours you’ve observed.
  • Pains: Frustrations and obstacles. Gains: What they want or need.

Fill from research; if you’re guessing, note it as assumption.

Why empathy maps matter

  • Make user insight visible and shareable so the whole team can align.
  • Surface tensions (e.g. “says X, does Y”) that can drive better solutions.
  • Support the “Empathise” phase in design thinking and feed into personas and problem framing.
  • Quick to run in a workshop with sticky notes.

What a good empathy map includes

Checklist

  • [ ] Based on evidence – quotes and observations, not only assumptions (label assumptions if you add them).
  • [ ] One user or segment per map – don’t mix different user types.
  • [ ] Filled collaboratively – so the team shares the same picture.
  • [ ] Pains and gains – so you see obstacles and desired outcomes.
  • [ ] Used – linked to a problem statement, persona, or next step; not left on the wall.

Common formats

  • Classic four quadrants: Says, Thinks, Feels, Does. Use in workshops.
  • With pains and gains: extra row or section. Use when you’re defining problems or value.
  • Comparison map: two maps side by side (e.g. before/after, two segments) to compare.

Examples

Example (the realistic one)

After five interviews with small business owners about invoicing, the team runs a 30-minute session. Says: “I just want it to be simple.” “I forget to chase people.” Thinks: “Will this take long?” “I hope I’m not overcharging.” Feels: anxious about late payers; relief when paid. Does: uses spreadsheets; chases by email and phone; sometimes gives up. Pains: time spent chasing; awkward conversations. Gains: get paid on time without hassle. The map feeds into a problem statement and a persona.

Common pitfalls

  • All assumption, no research: the map is guesswork. → Do this instead: run at least a few interviews or observations first; mark any inferred content as assumption.
  • Too generic: could apply to anyone. → Do this instead: focus on one segment and one context (e.g. “freelancers doing invoicing”).
  • Never used again: one-off workshop output. → Do this instead: connect to a persona, problem statement, or backlog; revisit when you learn more.
  • Mixing users: one map for “everyone”. → Do this instead: one map per user type or segment.
  • Empathy map vs persona: an empathy map is a synthesis format (says/thinks/feels/does); a persona is a character that represents a segment. Use the map to build or enrich the persona.
  • Empathy map vs journey map: a user journey is over time (steps/phases); an empathy map is a snapshot of the user’s mindset and behaviour. Use both: empathy map for “who they are”; journey for “what they do when”.
  • Empathy map vs empathy mapping: same idea; “empathy mapping” is often used for the workshop activity.

Next step

After your next round of user research, run a short workshop: fill one empathy map per segment, then draft one problem statement from the pains and gains.

Related Terms