Empathy maps are used in design to build empathy for the users you are designing for. To be able to take the user’s perspective, designers try to think, feel and behave as if they were the user themselves. Empathy maps are a valuable tool to sum up your user engagement experiences.

 

This “empathyMap” is based on the “beEmpathy” framework. In four steps, the students can gain deeper insights in what someone else is saying, doing, feeling, and needing. The “empathyMap” can be used any time to establish empathy, e.g. in conflict situations. Though, creating an empathy map together with the “personaStories” can be especially helpful to gain an even deeper understanding of a situation and to illustrate the student’s common experiences.

 

Together with the "empathyMap" comes a reflection to further evaluate which new understandings the students could gain by using empathy.