Empathy Map

An empathy map is a visual tool used to represent what a user thinks, feels, says, and does in relation to a product, service, or experience. It helps teams gain a deeper understanding of users’ perspectives, emotions, and behaviours, making it a valuable resource in both Design Thinking and Growth Hacking for developing user-centric solutions and strategies.

In Design Thinking:

• Understanding the User: Empathy maps are central to the Empathise stage, where teams collect insights about users through interviews, observations, and other research methods. The map organises these insights to highlight users’ needs and pain points.
• Guiding Problem Definition: By clearly illustrating what matters most to users, empathy maps help teams frame problem statements that are relevant and user-focused.
• Inspiring Ideas: The insights captured in an empathy map inform ideation by identifying opportunities for innovation that align with users’ desires and challenges.

In Growth Hacking:

• Personalising Strategies: Growth teams use empathy maps to understand the emotions, motivations, and behaviours of different audience segments, allowing them to craft targeted campaigns and messaging.
• Improving Engagement: By focusing on how users think and feel, empathy maps help growth hackers design experiences and communications that resonate deeply with their audience.
• Identifying Friction Points: Empathy maps highlight pain points and frustrations that may hinder conversions or retention, guiding the development of strategies to address these issues.

Examples of Application:

• In Design Thinking: Using an empathy map to synthesise findings from interviews with commuters, identifying that they feel “frustrated by delays” and “stressed by unclear schedules,” which informs the redesign of a public transport app.
• In Growth Hacking: Creating an empathy map for a new customer segment in an online retail business, revealing that they value “quick delivery” but feel “overwhelmed by too many choices,” leading to simplified product recommendations.

Empathy maps are a versatile tool in both Design Thinking and Growth Hacking, bridging qualitative research with actionable insights. By helping teams empathise with users and focus on their experiences, these maps ensure that solutions and strategies are aligned with real human needs, driving meaningful impact and engagement.