Mapping Out Their Brain: Using Empathy Maps to Understand What Users Think, Feel, Say, and Do

Have you ever tried to solve a problem for someone, only to realize you completely missed the mark? Maybe you built a fancy app, but no one used it. Or you created a great product, but it didn't quite hit the spot. Often, the reason is simple: we didn't truly understand the people we were trying to help.

That's where Empathy Maps come in! Think of them as a superpower that lets you peek inside someone's head and truly understand their world. Instead of guessing, you get to see what they're really experiencing.

What's an Empathy Map, Anyway?

An Empathy Map is a simple, visual tool that helps you put yourself in your user's shoes. It's usually divided into six sections, each representing a key aspect of their experience:

• SAYS: What do they actually say out loud? This could be direct quotes from interviews, things they post online, or even casual remarks.
  

• THINKS: What's going on inside their head? What are their hopes, fears, worries, and aspirations? This can be tricky to uncover, but observing their actions and listening carefully can give clues.

  
  

• FEELS: What emotions are they experiencing? Are they happy, frustrated, confused, excited? These are their emotional states.
  

• DOES: What actions do they take? What are their habits, behaviors, and routines? This is about what you can observe them doing.
  

• PAINS: What are their frustrations, challenges, obstacles, and anxieties? What keeps them up at night?
  

• GAINS: What do they want to achieve? What are their goals, desires, and measures of success? What would make their life better?

Why Bother with Empathy Maps?

So, why go through this exercise? Because it's incredibly powerful for making better decisions, whether you're designing a product, writing content, or even planning an event.

Example 1: The Frustrated Online Shopper

Let's say you're building an online store for custom made furniture. Instead of just listing features, let's empathy map a potential customer, "Priya," who wants a unique dining table.

• SAYS: "I wish I could find a table that fits my weirdly shaped dining room." "These online photos never show the true color." "Is assembly difficult?"
  

• THINKS: "Will this table actually last?" "I'm worried about spending so much money on something I haven't seen in person." "I hope it looks good with my existing chairs."
  

• FEELS: Anxious about making a big purchase, excited about a custom piece, frustrated by lack of options.
  

• DOES: Scrolls through countless furniture websites, measures her dining room multiple times, reads reviews, asks friends for recommendations.
  

• PAINS: Limited customization options, uncertainty about quality, difficulty visualizing the furniture in her home, fear of complex assembly.
  

• GAINS: A beautiful, unique dining table that perfectly fits her space, a stress free buying experience, feeling confident in her purchase.
  

How this helps: Suddenly, you know to offer 3D visualizations, send fabric swatches, provide detailed assembly videos, and highlight your return policy prominently. You're addressing her real concerns, not just selling a table.

Example 2: The Busy Parent Looking for After School Care

Imagine you're developing a platform to connect parents with after school activities. Let's map "Raj," a working parent.

• SAYS: "I just need something reliable and safe." "It's so hard to find something that fits my work schedule." "My kid hates boring stuff."
  

• THINKS: "Will my child be happy there?" "Can I trust these providers?" "Is this going to break the bank?" "How do I juggle pickups?"
  

• FEELS: Stressed, overwhelmed, guilty about not spending more time with his child, hopeful for a good solution.
  

• DOES: Calls multiple centers, asks other parents for advice, researches online, checks reviews, tries to coordinate with his spouse.
  

• PAINS: Lack of trusted options, inflexible schedules, high costs, safety concerns, the hassle of coordinating.
  

• GAINS: A safe, engaging, and convenient after school program, peace of mind, more free time, a happy child.
  

How this helps: You'd prioritize features like verified provider backgrounds, flexible booking options, transparent pricing, and perhaps even a carpooling feature. You're building a solution that truly solves Raj's headaches.

How to Create Your Own Empathy Map

It's simpler than you think!

1. Pick a User: Don't try to map "everyone." Focus on a specific type of person (a "persona"). Give them a name and some basic background.
   

2. Gather Information: This is key! Don't just guess.

   • Talk to people! Interviews are gold.

   • Observe them. How do they interact with products or services?

   • Look at data. What do analytics tell you?

   • Read reviews, forum posts, social media comments.
     

3. Fill it Out: Use sticky notes or a whiteboard. Write down everything you know or can infer in each section. Don't censor yourself.

   
   

4. Look for Patterns & Insights: Once your map is full, step back. What surprises you? What common themes emerge? Where are the biggest pain points? What are their strongest motivations?

The Takeaway

Empathy Maps aren't just a trendy design tool, they're a fundamental way to approach problem solving. By truly understanding what your users think, feel, say, and do, you move beyond assumptions and into a world of informed decisions. You build solutions that truly resonate, because you've taken the time to map out their brain.

So, next time you're tackling a new project, grab some sticky notes and start mapping! You might be surprised at what you discover.