Glossary
Empathy Mapping
What is empathy mapping?
An empathy map organizes what a team knows about a user or user group. A common version separates what people say, think, do, and feel. Putting these side by side can reveal patterns, contradictions, and gaps in the research.
How to use it
- Start with a specific user and situation.
- Gather interview and observational evidence, then record where each item came from.
- Keep what someone said or did separate from your interpretation of what they think or feel.
An empty space is better than an invented answer.
Nielsen Norman Group’s guide describes maps for individual research participants and maps that summarize a segment. Update either version when new evidence changes the picture.
Why it matters
The map helps a team see what it knows and what it still needs to learn. That can support behavioral design, provided the team keeps studying actual users and testing its ideas. A neatly filled whiteboard is not the goal.