SUMMARY
Purpose: Empathy Mapping is a collaborative technique used to visualise user attitudes and behaviours, helping teams build a holistic understanding of the user experience.
Design Thinking Phase: Empathise
Time: 45–60 min session + 1–2 hours analysis
Difficulty: ⭐⭐
When to use:At the start of a project to align teams around the userAfter conducting qualitative research (e.g. interviews, contextual inquiries)To prioritise design opportunities based on user needs and emotions
What it is
Empathy Mapping is a qualitative synthesis method that helps teams distil what users say, do, think, and feel during a given experience. Typically facilitated as a workshop method, it converts raw research into a visual framework that surfaces emotional states, pain points, and unspoken motivations. It serves as a bridge between individual research data and shared user understanding.
📺 Video by NNgroup. Embedded for educational reference.
Why it matters
Empathy maps make the abstract visible. In product teams, they reduce stakeholder disconnect by turning individual research anecdotes into shared insights. Whether you're working with PMs or engineers, a well-facilitated empathy map anchors strategic discussion in user reality—so you build from real needs, not assumptions.
When to use
- After synthesising user interviews post-discovery sprint
- When aligning cross-functional teams around user attitudes
- To explore deeper emotional or qualitative data before persona creation
Benefits
- Rich Insights: Helps uncover user needs that aren’t visible in metrics.
- Flexibility: Works across various project types and timelines.
- User Empathy: Deepens understanding of behaviours and motivations.
How to use it
1. Gather raw qualitative data: Ideally from interviews, ethnographic research, support conversations, or diary studies.
2. Set up a collaborative canvas: Use the traditional four-quadrant structure—Says, Thinks, Does, Feels—or extend with Needs and Pains.
3. Map insights as a team: Play back audio snips or surface snippets. Use sticky notes or digital whiteboards. Place observations into relevant quadrants.
4. Debrief and cluster: Identify patterns, contradictions, and gaps. Discuss what behaviours stand out and which stories challenge assumptions.
5. Capture key takeaways: Translate findings into 'How Might We' questions or design hypotheses to fuel ideation.
Example Output
User Type: Job-Seeking Mid-Career Professional
- SAYS: "I just want a company that values experience, not just speed."
- THINKS: "Maybe I’m not 'technical enough' for this industry anymore."
- DOES: Applies late at night, bookmarks a dozen job posts, rewrites CV constantly
- FEELS: Overwhelmed, frustrated, doubting their skills despite solid experience
- NEEDS: A clearer pathway to show value without gaming systems/ATS
- PAINS: Automated rejection emails, vague postings, ghosting from recruiters
Common Pitfalls
- Confusing 'Says' and 'Thinks': Teams often conflate surface statements with internal thoughts. A rule of thumb—if the user didn’t say it verbatim, don’t put it in the 'Says' box.
- Using it with no real data: Hypothetical empathy maps are just educated guesses. Use them only as conversation starters—not as foundations for decision-making.
- Skipping synthesis: Don’t just fill out the map and move on. Insights emerge from discussion, pattern recognition, and reflective questioning.
10 Design-Ready AI Prompts for Empathy Mapping – UX/UI Edition
How These Prompts Work (C.S.I.R. Framework)
Each of the templates below follows the C.S.I.R. method — a proven structure for writing clear, effective prompts that get better results from ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, or any other LLM.
C.S.I.R. stands for:
- Context: Who you are and the UX situation you're working in
- Specific Info: Key design inputs, tasks, or constraints the AI should consider
- Intent: What you want the AI to help you achieve
- Response Format: The structure or format you want the AI to return (e.g. checklist, table, journey map)
Level up your career with smarter AI prompts.Get templates used by UX leaders — no guesswork, just results.Design faster, research smarter, and ship with confidence.First one’s free. Unlock all 10 by becoming a member.
Prompt Template 1: “Synthesise Interview Observations into Empathy Map Inputs”
Synthesise Interview Observations into Empathy Map Inputs
Context: You are a Senior UX Designer preparing an empathy mapping session after conducting user interviews for a job search platform.
Specific Info: You’ve completed 6 user interviews (45 min each), exploring experiences around applying for remote jobs. You’ve captured detailed notes but haven’t begun synthesis.
Intent: Turn raw interviews into quadrant-ready insights for team empathy mapping.
Response Format: Organise findings into: 'Says', 'Thinks', 'Does', 'Feels', ‘Needs’, and ‘Pain Points’ bullet lists.
If interview themes are unclear, ask for sample quotes or behaviour logs before proceeding.
Then, suggest one follow-up framework or mapping session to explore the emotional drivers deeper.
