Empathy Mapping

Empathy Mapping

Overview

Create a structured visualization of what a stakeholder says, thinks, does, and feels to build deep understanding of their perspective.

When to Use

• During the Empathize phase
• After conducting observations or interviews
• When synthesizing user research
• When validating assumptions about stakeholder needs

How to Apply

1. Choose Your Subject

Identify the specific stakeholder or stakeholder group to map.

2. Gather Data

Review observation and interview notes for this stakeholder.

3. Create the Map

Organize findings into four quadrants:

SAYS — Direct quotes, what they verbalize

• What exact words do they use?
• What do they tell others?
• What have you heard them say?

THINKS — Beliefs, concerns, interpretations

• What might they be thinking?
• What matters to them?
• What are their concerns?
• What occupies their thoughts?

DOES — Actions, behaviors, observable activities

• What actions have you observed?
• What do they do today?
• How do they behave?
• What workflows do they follow?

FEELS — Emotional states, frustrations, aspirations

• What emotions have you observed?
• What frustrates them?
• What excites them?
• What are their fears and aspirations?

4. Identify Insights

Look for:

• Contradictions — Where SAYS differs from DOES or THINKS
• Pain Points — Negative emotions or frustrations
• Gains — Positive emotions or aspirations
• Unmet Needs — Gaps between what they do and what they want

5. Document

Save the empathy map in projects/[project_name]/​insights/ and link it from the stakeholder's profile in currentstate.json.

Example Structure

# Empathy Map: [Stakeholder Name]

## Says
- "I don't have time to learn new systems"
- "It needs to just work"

## Thinks
- Worried about making mistakes
- Believes current tool is holding them back
- Wants to be more efficient

## Does
- Uses workarounds to avoid broken features
- Checks work multiple times
- Stays late to complete tasks

## Feels
- Frustrated when tools fail
- Anxious about deadlines
- Proud when delivering good work

## Insights
**Pain:** Lack of reliability creates anxiety and extra work
**Need:** Simple, reliable tools that don't require extensive training
**Opportunity:** Reduce cognitive load and improve confidence

Tips

• Use the stakeholder's own words in SAYS
• Infer THINKS and FEELS from observations and context
• Focus on behaviors, not just self-reported actions
• Look for emotional patterns and intensity
• One empathy map per distinct stakeholder type