What is an empathy map?
An empathy map collects what you have learned about a user into four quadrants — what they say, think, do and feel — with their pains and gains underneath. It is a quick team exercise after interviews, and it keeps everyone designing for a real person instead of themselves.
When to use it
- Right after user interviews, to pool what each person heard.
- At the start of a design sprint, to agree on who you are designing for.
- When a persona document exists but nobody reads it.
How to make an empathy map in SketchFlow
- Step 1: Open the empathy map template in SketchFlow.
- Step 2: Name the user in the centre circle, for example 'First-time freelancer'.
- Step 3: Press N to add sticky notes to each quadrant — one observation per note (or duplicate an existing note with Ctrl/Cmd+D).
- Step 4: Fill in the Pains and Gains strips last, based on the quadrants above.
- Step 5: Export as PNG to drop into your research summary.
Tips for a better result
- Says should be direct quotes; Thinks is your inference — keep them separate.
- Contradictions between Says and Does are the most useful findings.
- Map one type of user per board.
Questions about this template
What are the four quadrants of an empathy map?
Says (what they say aloud), Thinks (what they may not say), Does (observable actions) and Feels (emotions). Many teams add Pains and Gains.
Who should fill in an empathy map?
Everyone who took part in research. Each person adds their own notes, then the group clusters and discusses them.
Can several people edit the same board at once?
Not live. SketchFlow boards are stored in your browser. To collaborate, share a link — the recipient gets an editable copy they can send back the same way.