3/27/2019 Empathy Maps
https://developer.ibm.com/africa/skills/innovator-design-thinking/?course=begin#3718 1/4
Design Thinking
Skill overview
Design Thinking
Observe
Personas
Empathy Maps
Reflect
Make
Keys
Assessment
Wrap Up
Empathy MapsIntroduction to Empathy MapsEmpathy maps are knowing the personas at a deeper
level. Generally, empathy maps are low–fidelity
works in progress that capture and articulate the
facets of a representative user as currently
understood and viewed by a team. The facets are
thinks, feels, says, and does. For example, this
empathy map for three personas was developed
during a design thinking session:
The value of empathy mapsAs your team identifies what they know about theuser and places this information on a chart, yougain a more holistic view of your user’s world andthe problem or opportunity space. By having amore holistic view, you gain insights that addlayers of context about the relationships between
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3/27/2019 Empathy Maps
https://developer.ibm.com/africa/skills/innovator-design-thinking/?course=begin#3718 2/4
Skill overview
Design Thinking
Observe
Personas
Empathy Maps
Reflect
Make
Keys
Assessment
Wrap Up
Getting Started with EmpathyMapsWhen you might use this
Empathy Maps help to rapidly put your team inthe user’s shoes and align on pains and gains –whether at the beginning of a project or mid-stream when you need to re-focus on your user.
Instructions
Draw the map and its four quadrants:Says,Does,Thinks and Feels
Sketch your user in the center and give thema name and a bit of description about whothey are or what they do
Diverge, with each team member writing oneobservation per sticky note and applying it tothe appropriate quadrant of the map.
Annotate unknowns (assumptions andquestions) for later inquiry or validation.
Discuss observation and fill in gapscollaboratively.
Take-Back Tips
Don’t do it alone. Empathy for users arises fromsharing in the collaborative making of the
the users and their experiences. A more holisticview can also reveal the ways in which your usermost naturally engages with what your teamdesigns and builds. In other words, your designsshould reach out to the user. Empathy maps canhelp you do that.
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3/27/2019 Empathy Maps
https://developer.ibm.com/africa/skills/innovator-design-thinking/?course=begin#3718 3/4
Skill overview
Design Thinking
Observe
Personas
Empathy Maps
Reflect
Make
Keys
Assessment
Wrap Up
Empathy Map. Everyone knows something aboutthe user, so use this activity to gather, socialize,and synthesize that information together.
Involve your users.Share your Empathy Maps tovalidate or invalidate your observations andassumptions with your Sponsor Users; which is aspecial component of IBM Design Thinkingpeople who are selected from your real orintended user group. Better yet, invite them toco-create the artifact with your team.
Go beyond the job title. Rather than focusing onyour user’s “job title” consider their actual tasks,motivations, goals, and obstacles.
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3/27/2019 Empathy Maps
https://developer.ibm.com/africa/skills/innovator-design-thinking/?course=begin#3718 4/4
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Design Thinking
Observe
Personas
Empathy Maps
Reflect
Make
Keys
Assessment
Wrap Up
IBM Digital Nation Journeys Badges About Help My Dashboard
English
Completed 6 of 19 ModulesPrevious Next
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