TABLE OF CONTENT
- LET’S GET STARTED
- What is an Empathy map?
- Who uses an Empathy map
- Why use an Empathy map?
- What is inside the Empathy map template?
- Why use the Empathy map template?
- GETTING IT DONE
- How to craft survey questions for the map?
- How to get the template?
- How to duplicate the template?
- How to add an image to the empathy map on Miro board?
- How to edit images for the empathy map?
- How to add survey answers to the templates?
- How to save the template?
- CONCLUSION
LET’S GET STARTED!
(a) What is an Empathy map? 🗺️
As a newbie in product management, hearing the word empathy map can sound so new and strange. Well it was for me 😅, so let me explain in simple terms.
An empathy map is a powerful tool used to gain a deeper understanding of a specific target audience or individual.
The map allows for a comprehensive exploration of the users’ thoughts, feelings, needs, and behaviors, which in turn aids in creating more meaningful and relevant products, services, or experiences.
It typically involves four sections;
- See: focuses on the user’s external environment, including what they see in their surroundings.
- Say & Do: focuses the user’s actions, behaviors and communication.
- Think & Feel: explores the user’s thoughts, emotions and beliefs.
- Hear: captures the user’s source of information, including what they hear from others, media etc.
(b) Who uses an Empathy map? 🤔
Empathy maps are used by various professionals and teams across different industries to gain a deeper understanding of their target audience or users. Here are some of the key groups that commonly use empathy maps:
- Product managers
- Product designers and UX designers
- Marketers
- Customer service teams
- Sales team
- Business strategists and many more!
(c) Why use an Empathy map? 🤷
Using an empathy map offers several valuable benefits for individuals or teams working in various fields. Here are some key reasons why empathy mapping is commonly employed:
- Better understanding of users and customers
- Identification of pain points and opportunities
- User-centric product and service design
- Tailored marketing and messaging
- Enhanced empathy and perspective-taking.
(d) What is inside the Empathy map template? 👓
The empathy map template consists of six segments;
Think and Feel, See, Hear, Say and Do, Gains and Pains in which answers gotten from surveys are placed in, according to the segment they belong.
1.5 Why use the Empathy map template?🙋
- The template provides a structured framework with different segments, making it easier to organize and analyze information about the individual or target audience. It ensures that you cover various aspects of their experience systematically.
- An empathy map is usually presented as a visual diagram, which makes it easier to grasp and communicate insights. It enables teams to have a shared understanding and align their perspectives.
- It is beginner- friendly and easy to use.
GETTING IT DONE!
(a) How to craft survey questions for the map? 📝
Crafting empathy map survey questions requires a delicate balance of curiosity and sensitivity. Here are some tips (pay attention to the highlighted sentences) 🧐;
To create questions that truly resonate with the participants, start by immersing yourself in their world.
Walk in their shoes, embrace their joys and struggles, and let their experiences guide you. Seek to understand their innermost thoughts and feelings, uncovering the nuances that make them unique. Delve into their daily routines, social interactions, and the sights and sounds that surround them.
Embrace the power of open-ended inquiries, inviting them to share their stories freely. Empathy map survey questions should be a heartfelt invitation for participants to open up, allowing their authentic voices to shape a canvas of understanding. So, let empathy be your compass, and through carefully crafted questions, weave a tapestry of insights that inspire meaningful and human-centered solutions.
Still having troubles understanding how to craft questions? 😅 I got you!
The link below by yours truly, is a list compiled of some examples of questions that can be used for Empathy map survey! Interested? click here (N/B: can be edited based on purpose of usage).
(b) How to get the template? 😵
Now let’s get into the business of creating an easy empathy map!
Interested in getting the template? click here and sign in or up into the Miro board using your google email address.
(c) How to duplicate the template?📚
Once you have signed in and the board opens, select “Empathy map template” as shown in the image below.
Once selected, a pop up screen will appear. Select “duplicate” as shown:
Enter the desired name for your board and click “copy”
Boom! You have a duplicate of the template.
If you are a newbie on the Miro board, you might have to close the ad shown below to be able to view your full board.
Once that is done, you have the duplicate of the template! 🥳
(d) How to add an image to the empathy map on the Miro board?📌
Now we have the template, let’s get started!
Select the highlighted symbol.
Once that is done, select “upload” from the list of options as shown below.
Select the desired option on how you want to upload the image. Majority of my images are saved in “my device” so I clicked on that.
Select the desired image from your device and click “open”
(e) How to edit images for the empathy map? 🖼️
Normally, images for an empathy map are oval in shape and inserted at the middle of the template. So to edit the image, click on the image and select the highlighted symbol which is the “mask and crop” option.
Select option “circle” as shown below. This will make the outline of the image to be a circle.
Once selected, the image gets an oval outline as shown below.
Image can be resized and be placed at the middle of the template by dragging it, as shown below.
(f) How to add survey answers to the templates? 
Once the image has been inserted, it is now time to add the answers gotten from the survey to the template. The answers will be placed on the template as sticky notes.
To select a sticky note on the miro board, click on the sticky note icon as illustrated below. This will show available colours, which can be selected by you by clicking.
Once you have chosen your preferred colour, click on the segment that you want to begin
When the sticky note has been placed on the segment, it will appear big. Therefore to resize it, double click on the highlighted portion and drag or drop to get your preferred size as shown below.
Go ahead and fill the segments with sticky notes bearing answers gotten from the survey questions.
Once this is done, your empathy map should look like the image below.
(g) How to save the template? 📥
Now that you are done with creating the template, it is time to save it.
To save the template, click on the export symbol shown as shown below.
Once selected, choose how you want the image to be saved from the options provided as seen below. To save as an image, select “save as image”.
After clicking “ save as image”, drag the highlighted symbol and make sure the template fits into it. Once this is done select the resolution size (for the free version only option “small” is available) then click “export”.
Once exported the notification of the download should be shown at the button left of the window.
Finally! You now have an Empathy map of your survey that can be added on any document as an image!!
CONCLUSION
Delving into the concept of empathy mapping has proven to be a transformative journey that fosters deeper understanding and connection with others. By utilizing the empathy map template as a powerful tool, we have learned to step into the shoes of those we seek to understand, unlocking invaluable insights into their thoughts, feelings, and needs. Through this process, we have uncovered the potential to bridge gaps, foster empathy-driven communication, and cultivate more meaningful relationships in both personal and professional settings.
While Empathy Mapping offers a unique window into your customers’ world, combining it with other customer-centric techniques can lead to exceptional results. Consider weaving Empathy Mapping into your Design Thinking or User Experience (UX) processes. By integrating these methodologies, you can enrich your understanding of customers and refine your solutions accordingly.
Onyinye Nebechukwu
Product Manager