Research
Empathy Mapping
A practical UX research synthesis method for visualising user perspective across thoughts, emotions, statements, and actions.
How to run empathy mapping to turn qualitative insights into a shared understanding of user mindset, pain points, and opportunities.
Quick take
If you don’t understand what users feel, think, or do, you’re designing in the dark. Map empathy to see through their eyes.
Related Services
What it is
Empathy mapping is a UX and serviceUser ResearchUnderstand user behaviour, validate ideas, and make clearer product decisions with evidence you can act on.Open service method used to visualise what users say, think, feel, and do in a given glossaryContextThe surrounding conditions that shape behaviour and decisions.Open glossary term.
It involves creating a collaborative visual representation that organises glossaryInsightAn insight is a meaningful understanding that explains why something is happening and what it means.Open glossary term from interviews, glossaryObservationObservation is a research method where user behaviour is watched and analysed without interference.Open glossary term, or other serviceUser ResearchUnderstand user behaviour, validate ideas, and make clearer product decisions with evidence you can act on.Open service into key quadrants: Say, Think, Feel, and Do.
The focus is on capturing user perspective and emotions to inform design decisions.
Key takeaway
The goal is to develop a shared understanding of users, highlight pain points, and identify opportunities to improve the experience.
When to use it
Use this method when you need to humanise user glossaryDataData is raw information collected and stored for analysis, processing, or decision-making.Open glossary term.
It is most useful when:
It is less useful when:
Empathy mapping is often used alongside personas, journey mapping, and thematic analysis.
How to run it
Set up properly.
Before you start, be clear on the user segment or persona to focus on, the glossaryData SourceA data source is the origin from which data is collected or accessed.Open glossary term, and the format for the empathy map.
Prepare glossaryInsightAn insight is a meaningful understanding that explains why something is happening and what it means.Open glossary term and glossaryObservationObservation is a research method where user behaviour is watched and analysed without interference.Open glossary term in advance.
Run the method.
Empathy mapping is collaborative and visual.
Divide a board into quadrants: Say, Think, Feel, Do. Place serviceUser ResearchUnderstand user behaviour, validate ideas, and make clearer product decisions with evidence you can act on.Open service glossaryInsightAn insight is a meaningful understanding that explains why something is happening and what it means.Open glossary term into the relevant quadrants. Discuss and identify glossaryPatternA reusable solution to a common design problem.Open glossary term or contradictions. Highlight pain points, motivations, and opportunities. Summarise findings and action points.
Focus on understanding the user holistically, not just glossaryBehaviourBehaviour refers to how users interact with a system, including actions, patterns, and responses.Open glossary term.
Capture and make sense of it.
The value comes from synthesising user perspective.
After mapping: document key glossaryInsightAn insight is a meaningful understanding that explains why something is happening and what it means.Open glossary term and themes, identify gaps or assumptions needing validation, use findings to inform design and content, and share the empathy map with the team for glossaryAlignmentAlignment is the shared understanding and agreement between teams, stakeholders, and objectives.Open glossary term.
Key takeaway
Use this to design experiences that resonate with users.
What to look for
Focus on:
Where it goes wrong
Most issues come from:
If the map is superficial, it provides little guidance.
What you get from it
Done properly, this method gives you:
Key takeaway
It helps you create empathetic, user-centred experiences.
Get in touch
If this sounds like something you need, we can help you create empathy maps that uncover what users truly think, feel, and do, guiding design decisions that actually resonate.
No guesswork. No assumptions. Just design with empathy.
FAQ
Common questions
A few practical answers to the questions that usually come up around this method.
What is empathy mapping in UX?
It is a method for visualising what users say, think, feel, and do to guide design decisions.
When should you use empathy mapping?
After glossaryQualitative ResearchQualitative research explores user behaviours, motivations, and experiences through non-numerical data.Open glossary term, during ideation, or when defining user needs.
What data do you need?
Interviews, glossaryObservationObservation is a research method where user behaviour is watched and analysed without interference.Open glossary term, glossaryFeedbackFeedback is the system response that informs users about the result of their actions. It helps users understand what has happened and what to do next.Open glossary term, or notes capturing user perspectives.
Why is it important?
It helps designers understand the user holistically and identify opportunities for improvement.
Does empathy mapping improve UX?
Yes. It ensures products and content meet real user needs and emotions.