Confusion about empathy maps

Hey meghanam , thanks for your question!

An empathy map is used to get a better understanding of your user and be able to empathize with them effectively. The Stable Sarah example does have a mix of general as well as situation-specific data points. For example, "thinks > value" and "feels > me time" are both situation-specific. An empathy map is merely a tool that UX designers can use to help empathize with their users. Some projects may require a broader understanding of the user.

For example, you might be developing a new mobile app for a well-defined target audience of experienced hikers. In this case, you have a clear and homogeneous user group: experienced hikers. Creating a user archetype overview can be sufficient because the primary goal is to understand the shared characteristics, needs, and motivations of this specific group. You can gather information about their general preferences, common pain points, and aspirations as hikers without focusing on a specific situation. This approach is efficient when the user group is relatively uniform and doesn't have highly varied use cases.

Components of the empathy map might include:

• Think & Feel: "Seeking adventure, nature enthusiasts."
• See: "Beautiful landscapes, hiking trails."
• Hear: "Birds chirping, wind rustling through trees."
• Say & Do: "Share hiking stories, use GPS apps."

For a more situation-focused empathy map, you might be designing a customer support chatbot for an e-commerce platform and want to improve the customer service experience during returns and refunds. In this case, the user base is diverse, and their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors can vary significantly depending on the specific situation, such as returning a damaged product or seeking a refund for an unsatisfactory purchase. In such a context, creating a situation-focused empathy map can provide deeper insights into the users' experiences and pain points during each situation.

Components of the empathy map might include separate sections for different situations:

Situation 1: Returning a Damaged Product

• Think & Feel: "Frustration, disappointment, need for a quick resolution."
• See: "Damaged product, packaging, return instructions."
• Hear: "Customer service representative explaining the return process."
• Say & Do: "Express frustration, share pictures of damaged items."

Situation 2: Seeking a Refund for an Unsatisfactory Purchase

• Think & Feel: "Dissatisfaction, impatience, desire for a hassle-free process."
• See: "Refund policy, account balance."
• Hear: "Customer service representative explaining the refund process."
• Say & Do: "Ask for a refund, provide reasons for dissatisfaction."

In summary, a user archetype overview is suitable when your user group is relatively uniform and you want to understand their shared characteristics and preferences. On the other hand, a situation-focused empathy map is better when you need to delve into the specific emotions, thoughts, and behaviors of users in different situations or contexts, especially in scenarios with diverse user experiences and pain points.

I hope this helps!