Why Use an Empathy Map?
Good design is grounded in a deep understanding of the person for whom you are designing. Designers have many techniques for developing this sort of empathy. An Empathy Map is one tool to help us synthesize our observations and draw out unexpected insights.
It is a synthesis tool to help quickly uncover latent user needs. It will help you quickly go through your notes from needfinding in the field to distill down to what are the golden nuggets of opportunity for design
Agenda
1. Q and A about the project packet I handed out on Tuesday
2. What are empathy maps? Why use them?
3. Watch Empathy Video #1 (Erica, Truck Driver) as a whole class. Together we will create an empathy map on Erica.
4. Then, individually you'll create an empathy map on John (car mechanic)
5. In Part 2 of class, we'll review the observation chart
***SEE LINKS TO TODAY'S RESOURCES AT THE END OF THIS BLOG
PART 1: PROCESS FOR CREATING AN EMPATHY MAP
A. Populate each section of the map with the following mindsets in each quadrant. On the whole, go for vivid descriptors!:
B. Reveal needs by using the left hand side of each empathy map to generate a list of use & usability needs. Use the right margin of the map to generate a list of "meaning" needs. Meaning needs relate to how they are feeling and what the experience means to the user as people.
C. Take a step back to examine the revealed needs. Watch for solutions posing as needs--they can be recognized as nouns. Aim for verbs! Reframe by asking "why do we need a [solution]?"
PART 2: Observation Note-taking (What? | How? | Why? )
WHY use What? | How? | Why?
During observation mode, What? | How? | Why? is a tool that can help you drive to deeper levels of observation. This simple scaffolding allows you to move from concrete observations of the happenings of a particular situation to the more abstract potential emotions and motives that are at play in the situation you’re observing. This is a particularly powerful technique to leverage when analyzing photos that your team has taken into the field, both for synthesis purposes, and to direct your team to future areas of needfinding.
HOW use What? | How? | Why?
A. Start with concrete observations:
What is the person you’re observing doing in a particular situation or photograph? Use descriptive phrases packed with adjectives and relative descriptions.
B. Move to understanding:
How is the person you’re observing doing what they are doing? Does it require effort? Do they appear rushed? Pained? Does the activity or situation appear to be impacting the user’s state of being either positively or negatively? Again, use as many descriptive phrases as possible here.
C. Step out on a limb of interpretation:
Why is the person you’re observing doing what they’re doing, and in the particular way that they are doing it? This step usually requires that you make informed guesses regarding motivation and emotions. Step out on a limb in order to project meaning into the situation that you have been observing. This step will reveal assumptions that you should test with users, and often uncovers unexpected realizations about a particular situation
RESOURCES for CLASS TODAY
Good design is grounded in a deep understanding of the person for whom you are designing. Designers have many techniques for developing this sort of empathy. An Empathy Map is one tool to help us synthesize our observations and draw out unexpected insights.
It is a synthesis tool to help quickly uncover latent user needs. It will help you quickly go through your notes from needfinding in the field to distill down to what are the golden nuggets of opportunity for design
Agenda
1. Q and A about the project packet I handed out on Tuesday
- By NEXT Friday, after observing AND interviewing at least two "users" you'll need to complete an empathy map for each user (located in your process packet).
2. What are empathy maps? Why use them?
3. Watch Empathy Video #1 (Erica, Truck Driver) as a whole class. Together we will create an empathy map on Erica.
4. Then, individually you'll create an empathy map on John (car mechanic)
5. In Part 2 of class, we'll review the observation chart
***SEE LINKS TO TODAY'S RESOURCES AT THE END OF THIS BLOG
PART 1: PROCESS FOR CREATING AN EMPATHY MAP
A. Populate each section of the map with the following mindsets in each quadrant. On the whole, go for vivid descriptors!:
- Quotes & defining words--Capture specific quotes from the user, as well as any unusual phrases or words that 'struck' you as something that might contain a deeper meaning.
- Actions & behaviors--Capture things you saw the user (or group of users) doing. Writing down specific details or even drawing out diagrams can be useful here.
- Thoughts & beliefs--This quadrant should contain phrases that begin with "I think..." or "I believe..." that were specifically stated by the user. You might also capture other thoughts & beliefs that may not have been explicitly stated but can be inferred from what the user said.
- Feelings & emotions--Capture feelings and emotions that the user displayed or talked about having. Capturing feelings and emotions that specific experiences elicited will also be useful here. You might also capture other feelings & emotions that you infer from actions & behaviors that you observed.
B. Reveal needs by using the left hand side of each empathy map to generate a list of use & usability needs. Use the right margin of the map to generate a list of "meaning" needs. Meaning needs relate to how they are feeling and what the experience means to the user as people.
C. Take a step back to examine the revealed needs. Watch for solutions posing as needs--they can be recognized as nouns. Aim for verbs! Reframe by asking "why do we need a [solution]?"
PART 2: Observation Note-taking (What? | How? | Why? )
WHY use What? | How? | Why?
During observation mode, What? | How? | Why? is a tool that can help you drive to deeper levels of observation. This simple scaffolding allows you to move from concrete observations of the happenings of a particular situation to the more abstract potential emotions and motives that are at play in the situation you’re observing. This is a particularly powerful technique to leverage when analyzing photos that your team has taken into the field, both for synthesis purposes, and to direct your team to future areas of needfinding.
HOW use What? | How? | Why?
A. Start with concrete observations:
What is the person you’re observing doing in a particular situation or photograph? Use descriptive phrases packed with adjectives and relative descriptions.
B. Move to understanding:
How is the person you’re observing doing what they are doing? Does it require effort? Do they appear rushed? Pained? Does the activity or situation appear to be impacting the user’s state of being either positively or negatively? Again, use as many descriptive phrases as possible here.
C. Step out on a limb of interpretation:
Why is the person you’re observing doing what they’re doing, and in the particular way that they are doing it? This step usually requires that you make informed guesses regarding motivation and emotions. Step out on a limb in order to project meaning into the situation that you have been observing. This step will reveal assumptions that you should test with users, and often uncovers unexpected realizations about a particular situation
RESOURCES for CLASS TODAY
- Empathy Videos (Erica and John)
- Missed Class? Follow along on THIS Lesson plan using the videos linked above
- Blank Empathy Map Chart