When to Empathy Map 3 Options

Kate Kaplan discusses the flexibility of empathy mapping and when it can be used during the design process. Empathy maps are a visualization tool that captures user research insights through depicting what users say, think, do, and feel.

The article outlines three main times empathy maps are helpful: before research to identify questions, during research to log observations, and after research to communicate findings to others. Kaplan provides methods for applying empathy maps at each stage, such as using them in planning future studies by documenting current assumptions.

Overall, the article advocates for empathy mapping as an engaging way to involve teams and share insights throughout the design timeline.