User Empathy Map Template
Dive into your users’ internal world and external influences with this user empathy map template. We created an easily editable template to develop and share User Empathy Maps. With guiding text to help you complete each section. Click and start filling it in with your findings.
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Join 193,446 professionals using Xtensio.
Beautiful living documents, built like web pages.
Join 193,446 professionals using Xtensio.
Dive into your users’ internal world and external influences with the User Empathy Mapping exercise. We created an easily editable template to develop and share User Empathy Maps. With guiding text to help you complete each section. Click and start filling it in with your findings.
Try first! Create an account if you like it.
What is a User Empathy Map and why create it?
Empathy Mapping is a UX design tool to visualize a user’s behavior and emotions. It’s a map of her internal world and external actions created based on research, user interviews, and observations. Taking the time to go through the Empathy Mapping exercise helps UX design teams develop empathy for who they are designing for. Always good to keep in mind when defining priorities, engineering front, and back-end functionalities, and making aesthetic choices.
The User Empathy map (or UX Empathy Map) is divided into 6 sections going from a user’s inner world to their outer world.
Thoughts and Feelings cover what’s on the inside
Actions and Quotes cover easily observable behavior.
Sights are about their surroundings.
Influences are about other entities that affect a user’s thoughts and actions.
Pains and Gains open it up to think about this persona’s relationship to your product or services.
We created an easily editable User Empathy Map template with guiding text to help you complete each part. Simply click and edit the text modules to add your own insights.
There is also a simpler version of the Empathy Map which is made up of four parts.
The next natural step after empathy mapping is to construct more detailed Personas, and take it further by developing Customer Journey Maps. Both available among Xtensio’s easily editable living document templates for Product Management and Design.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create a user empathy map?
Start with Xtensio’s free template.
The canvas is divided into sections labeled: “Think & Feel,” “Hear,” “See,” “Say & Do,” “Pain Points,” and “Gains.” Populate each section with insights from user research, interviews, and observations. This visual tool helps teams understand user emotions, motivations, and challenges.
What tool is used to create an empathy map?
Various tools can be used to create empathy maps, including digital platforms like Xtensio. Traditional methods involve using pen and paper or whiteboards with sticky notes.
What would a customer empathy map look like?
A customer empathy map is a visual representation that captures the feelings, thoughts, experiences, and feedback of customers. It’s divided into sections such as “Think & Feel,” “Hear,” “See,” “Say & Do,” “Pain Points,” and “Gains.” Each section is filled with insights derived from customer interactions and research.
How do you create an empathy map for a target audience?
Creating an empathy map for a target audience involves understanding their needs, challenges, and motivations. Begin by segmenting your audience, then gather data through surveys, interviews, and observations. Use this data to populate the sections of the empathy map, ensuring it reflects the unique perspectives of your target group.
Why is an empathy map important in UX design?
An empathy map is crucial in UX design as it provides a deep understanding of users’ emotions, needs, and challenges. It aids designers in creating user-centric solutions, ensuring products resonate with the target audience and meet their expectations.
How often should you update an empathy map?
Empathy maps should be updated regularly, especially when there’s new user research, feedback, or changes in user behavior. Periodic reviews ensure the map remains relevant and reflects the current state of the user experience.
What’s the difference between a persona and an empathy map?
While both tools focus on understanding users, a persona is a fictional representation of a typical user, highlighting demographics, behaviors, and motivations. An empathy map, on the other hand, delves deeper into users’ emotions, capturing what they think, feel, see, and do.
Can empathy maps be used outside of UX design?
Absolutely! Empathy maps are versatile tools and can be applied in various fields, including marketing, product management, and organizational development, to better understand stakeholders, customers, or employees.
How do empathy maps improve team collaboration?
Empathy maps serve as a shared reference point, ensuring all team members have a unified understanding of users. They foster discussions, align objectives, and promote a user-centric mindset, enhancing collaboration and decision-making.
What are common mistakes when creating empathy maps?
Common mistakes include not updating the map regularly, relying solely on assumptions without proper research, not involving diverse team members in the process, and not using the insights from the map to inform design decisions.
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