The empathy map is a simple, four-quadrant visual tool that helps design teams build a deeper understanding of a specific user's inner experience. Originally created by Dave Gray, founder of XPLANE, it organises research observations and inferences into four domains: what the user says, thinks, does, and feels. This structure forces teams to go beyond surface-level observations and engage with the emotional and cognitive dimensions of user experience that often determine whether a design succeeds or fails in practice.
What It Is
An empathy map is a poster-sized diagram divided into four quadrants labelled Says, Thinks, Does, and Feels. Some versions add two additional zones at the bottom: Pains (what frustrates or worries the user) and Gains (what the user hopes to achieve or gain). The map is populated with data from research: direct quotes go in Says, inferences about internal thoughts go in Thinks, observed behaviours go in Does, and emotional observations or inferences go in Feels. The map is built for a specific persona in a specific context rather than as a general summary of all users.
How to Run It
Conduct your user research first. Then gather the team around a large printed or digital template. Working from research notes, quotes, and observations, collaboratively fill each quadrant with sticky notes. Start with Says and Does, which are directly observable, then move to Thinks and Feels, which require inference. Look for tensions and contradictions between quadrants: when what a user says conflicts with what they do, or when their stated thoughts conflict with observed emotions, you have found a particularly rich area to explore. Use the Pains and Gains section to distil the most important implications for design.
When to Use It
Empathy maps are most useful during the synthesis phase, after research is complete and before design begins. They work well as a complement to personas: where a persona tells the story of a user type, an empathy map deepens the team's emotional understanding of that type. They are also useful in workshops with stakeholders who have not been involved in user research, as they provide a quick and accessible way to build empathy without requiring stakeholders to read detailed research reports.
Tips for Success
Base every entry on real data rather than assumption. If a quadrant is thin, it is a signal that your research did not cover that dimension adequately, not an invitation to make things up. Build separate empathy maps for different personas rather than blending multiple user types into a single map: the more specific the map, the more useful it is. Use the tensions and contradictions you identify as inputs for insight statements and HMW questions in the ideation phase that follows.
