What is an empathy map in UX?
An empathy map in UX is a simple one-page diagram that captures what a user says, thinks, does and feels, to help a team see the world from their side.
also calledempathy mapping · empathy canvas
Imagine a whiteboard with a face drawn in the middle and four boxes around it. Your team fills the boxes with what a particular user says out loud, what they probably think, what they do and what they feel. It takes about an hour and it can change how a room talks about customers.
- An empathy map organizes what a user says, thinks, does and feels on one page.
- The gaps between the quadrants are the interesting part.
- Build it from real research, and label guesses as guesses.
- It aligns a team quickly, but it does not replace talking to users.
The four quadrants, in plain terms
The classic layout has four parts.
- Says: direct quotes from interviews, such as "I never know which plan I'm on."
- Thinks: what is going on in their head that they might not say aloud, like worrying they look incompetent.
- Does: observable behavior, such as opening three tabs to compare prices.
- Feels: emotions like anxious, rushed or proud.
Many versions add a strip for pains and gains at the bottom, listing frustrations and what the person hopes to achieve. The point is the contrast. Often what someone says and what they feel do not match, and that gap is where design ideas live.
Why teams bother with it
A lot of research dies in a slide deck. An empathy map forces a team to turn pages of notes into one shared picture of a person, which is much easier to remember in a planning meeting.
It is also fast. You can build one at the start of a project when you have little data, then revise it as you learn. For stakeholders who are not designers, it is a friendly doorway into research without a thirty-page report.
How to make one that is not made up
Start with real input: interview transcripts, usability test notes, support tickets or survey comments. Pick one user type or segment, not "everyone". Give the team sticky notes and ten minutes of silent writing, then cluster them in the quadrants.
Mark which notes come from observed evidence and which are assumptions. If most of your map is guesswork, say so; the map is then a list of questions to answer in research. Finish by asking what surprised you and what you still do not know.
Where it falls short
An empathy map is a summary, not research. If a team builds it from imagination, it will just reflect the team's biases in a neat layout. It also shows one moment or one segment, so it can flatten the variety of real people.
It does not tell you how things change over time; for that a journey map is better. Use the map to align and spark questions, then confirm with actual users.
Empathy map: your questions, answered
What is an empathy map used for?
It helps a team build a shared understanding of a user before designing. By summarizing what the person says, thinks, does and feels, it turns scattered research notes into a quick, visual reference for decisions and conversations.
What are the four parts of an empathy map?
Says, thinks, does and feels. Says holds direct quotes, thinks holds unspoken thoughts, does records observable actions, and feels captures emotions. Many templates also add pains and gains underneath to list frustrations and goals.
How do you create an empathy map?
Choose one user type, gather research material, draw the four quadrants and fill them with sticky notes from the evidence. Cluster similar notes, mark assumptions, and end with a discussion about surprises and open questions.
When should you use an empathy map?
Early in a project, after a round of interviews, or whenever a team has drifted into talking about 'the user' in vague terms. It is also useful before building a persona, since it organizes the raw material.
Who invented the empathy map?
The format was popularized by Dave Gray of the company XPLANE, and it has since spread through design thinking and many agile teams. Different groups use slightly different templates, so you will see variations.
More quick answers
What is the difference between an empathy map and a persona?
An empathy map captures a moment of understanding of a user type. A persona is a longer profile that includes background, goals and behaviors. Many teams make the map first.
Empathy map vs journey map: which should I use?
Use an empathy map for a snapshot of how a user thinks and feels. Use a journey map to follow them through steps over time.
Can you make an empathy map without research?
You can, but it will be a collection of assumptions. Mark it that way and use it to decide what to investigate rather than as a source of truth.
How long does an empathy map workshop take?
A basic session can run 45 to 90 minutes with a small group. Preparing the research input beforehand matters more than the time spent on the board.
What tools can I use for an empathy map?
A whiteboard and sticky notes work perfectly. Online whiteboards and design tools also offer ready-made templates if your team is remote.
A persona in UX is a fictional but research-based profile of a typical user, describing their goals, habits and frustrations to keep design decisions grounded.
A user journey map in UX is a visual timeline of the steps a person takes to reach a goal, showing their actions, thoughts, emotions and pain points.
Empathy in UX is the ability to understand what users think, feel and need, and to let that understanding shape every design decision you make.
An affinity map in UX is a visual grouping of research notes, quotes and observations into themes so patterns across many users become easy to see.
User research in UX is the practice of studying people who use or might use a product, to understand their needs and behavior so design rests on evidence.
Pain points in UX are the specific problems, frustrations or obstacles that users run into when trying to reach their goals with a product or service.
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