---
description: Use when building deeper understanding of a user's mindset and emotional state
---

# Empathy Map

A four-quadrant tool that captures what a user Says, Thinks, Does, and Feels to build a shared understanding of their needs and motivations.

## Steps

1. **Define the user** — Identify the specific persona or user segment you are mapping.
2. **Says** — Record direct quotes and statements the user makes about their experience.
3. **Thinks** — Infer what the user is thinking but may not say aloud; hopes, worries, aspirations.
4. **Does** — Document observable behaviors, actions, and habits in context.
5. **Feels** — Capture the user's emotional state; frustrations, anxieties, excitement.
6. **Synthesize** — Identify contradictions between quadrants and extract key needs and insights.

## Output Format

A 2x2 grid with quadrants labeled Says, Thinks, Does, Feels, each populated with bullet points. Below the grid, a summary of key user needs and insights discovered.