Empathy Mapping
Empathy Mapping
An empathy map is a very quick, very rough ‘persona’ template. An empathy map is a well-known tool that comes from design thinking [1]. It is typically used to gain deeper insight into customers but can also be used to broaden our understanding of the experience of different stakeholders within the system. Rather than focusing on a product, for systems practice we can focus the experience of the person in engaging with the system in their context.
Empathy maps vary in shape and size, but there are basic elements common to each one: four quadrants named 'thinking', 'seeing', 'doing' and 'feeling'.
Accessibility:
This activity requires participants to read written notes on a large wall space
This activity requires participants to engage is social learning
Output: The output from the process produces simple ‘persona’ maps, which can then be captured digitally through tools such as MURAL, IDEAFLIP, or MIRO.
This is a Tool: a very small, contained, activity, which only has 1-2 steps. You'll apply this exactly the same way each time you use it.
Investment: low cost, low resources, low skill, low time
Outcomes
- articulate what you know about a particular type (or archetype) of person or stakeholder -exploring their needs, goals, expectations, behaviours, pain points, and so on
- identify both challenges and opportunities in a systematic and straightforward way.
When and Why Do I Use This
Find Leverage: Empathy mapping is particularly useful when thinking about how to Find Leverage and what the best intervention point might be.
Purposeful Engagement: It’s also a way to think strategically about how to engage with diverse stakeholders and views.