Post by sumiseo558899 on Nov 9, 2024 22:56:18 GMT -5
To create a product or service that is in demand, you need to know the people who will use it. General characteristics of the target audience - gender, age and profession - are undoubtedly important, but for the best companies on the market, this information about the client is clearly not enough.
You will get insights for creating the best version of your product when you deeply understand your client: what worries and pleases them, what they strive for, how they make decisions, etc. This requires empathy - the ability to sympathize with another person, the ability to put yourself in their place.
news
It's easy to empathize with someone you know, someone with whom you have had a similar experience. But what do you do when you don't know the person?
The correct answer is to develop empathy
content writing service using special techniques. One of them is the Empathy Map.
What is an empathy map?
news
Excerpt from the book "Business Model Building"
The empathy map was created many years ago by Dave Gray, the founder of XPLANE , the creator of the Gamestorming brainstorming technique, and the author of books on visual thinking practices.
The map consists of 7 blocks, the numbering of which corresponds to the order of filling.
Today, the Empathy Map is actively used in agile approaches, design thinking, and is included in the toolkit of the Stanford School of Design.
Business consultant Alexander Osterwalder noted the Empathy Map in his book, Building Business Models, as a tool for understanding the customer:
“It will help you go beyond purely demographic characteristics of the consumer and better understand their environment, behavior, problems and joys. The result will be a more successful business model, because the consumer profile will help you create a better value proposition, more convenient and more suitable customer journeys. Ultimately, you will be able to better understand what the consumer is really willing to pay for.”
Where it is used
If empathy is sympathy for the current emotional state of another person, then the Empathy Map is a way to structure the process of building empathy, to make it more visual and understandable.
By filling in block after block, you systematize the key characteristics of the target audience into a coherent ecosystem: environment, problems, aspirations, experience, fears, worries, etc.
The empathy map is relevant where you need to look at the product through the eyes of the client:
strategy development
script development
launch or refinement of a product/service
differentiation from competitors
search for new directions
improving service levels
working with the atmosphere in the company
If you are already familiar with the audience, the Empathy Map will detail the context of product use and will show where the gaps in the data are at the start of the project.
At Original Works , we use this tool not only when developing our main product, but also when preparing speakers for presentations, planning publications, creating white papers, or preparing commercial proposals.
How to compose
There are many different versions of the Empathy Map available on the Internet, which often differ from the original in the set of questions and the order in which they are completed.
news
The new Empathy Map template has new blocks added, and the order of filling has become clear thanks to the numbering
We recommend that you follow the original technology to get the most out of this tool.
In 2017, after collaborating with Alexander Osterwalder, Dave Gray accumulated his experience with templates and created a new version of the Empathy Map.
We suggest taking a closer look at the procedure for filling it out.
Preparation
The empathy map is a brainstorming tool. For teamwork to be effective, it is important to:
prepare in advance: if you send materials to participants 2-3 days in advance, they will have time to get acquainted with the topic, think about the tasks and prepare the necessary data;
state the main task at the beginning of the discussion - this way you will ensure that all participants are on the same page and know the goals and rules of the work;
record the progress of the brainstorming session – choose a person who will record the ideas so that nothing is missed. For notes on a flip chart, good handwriting is critical!
HOW TO FILL OUT
To create an Empathy Map, we fill in all the map blocks sequentially – the numbering of the blocks corresponds to the order in which they are filled in.
You can fill out a template printed on paper - this option is suitable for working in small groups.
For a large team, it is best to use a flip chart or a marker board. If you are making a map in a large format, it is convenient to record the theses on stickers - they can be easily removed or moved to another place.
news
Using a flip chart for brainstorming
Where to get data
To create an Empathy Map, you need to collect information about the client's experience and personal opinion. You will receive some of this data from the members of the working group. Narrow specialists will be able to fill in only a part of the sectors qualitatively. Therefore, for large-scale tasks, it is logical to involve more employees with various competencies, whose experience is relevant to the task at hand.
Where can I get additional data about the client to create the Map:
social media profiles
discussions on thematic platforms, forums, communities
high-quality specialized media
comments under publications
news
The working group for creating the map: analyst, sales manager, head of the loyalty department, account manager, lawyer, head of the optimizer department, and marketer.
Setting goals
We start creating an Empathy Map with goals: WITH WHOM we are building empathy, and WHAT this person should, in our opinion, DO.
To do this, draw a circle in the center (it will represent the hero of our map), give it a name, and record additional characteristics. The latter are needed if you are creating several Maps for different audience segments.
In Dave Gray's template, a person's profile is already drawn in the center of the Map - the personification of the client. The author recommends adapting it, adding character traits, emotions. You can add details (glasses, hairstyle, tie, etc.), use a photo of a real person or character. When the profile on the Map becomes more like a real user, it will be easier for you to project their experience onto yourself.
At this point, there is a risk of going into the easy part and thinking not about “what do we want this person to do” but about “what do we want them to understand?” Focus on what you are really looking for: action. Ask yourself or the group “what will happen when they understand?”
Filling external blocks
Next, we sequentially fill in the blocks "Sees", "Says", "Does" and "Hears". Each block introduces a separate aspect of our hero's sensory experience.
For example, when we were preparing a report on competitor analysis, it was important to understand whether the audience conducts competitor analysis and how exactly they do it, what sources of information they trust, what exactly is written on these platforms about competitor analysis, what the audience hears in their circle on this topic, etc.
In total, you need to fill in 4 external blocks:
"What does he see?" - this block characterizes the client's external environment, his social circle, the leaders whose opinions he listens to: what does he see in the market and in his immediate environment on the necessary topic? What does he see from what is being done and said around him? What does he watch and read?
"What does he say?" - we study what we heard from what he said. What words can we imagine that he would say on the topic that concerns us?
"What is he doing?" - we record specific actions: what is he doing today? What behavior have we observed in the past? What behavior can we imagine?
"What does he hear?" - we determine what he hears from other people. What does he hear from friends? What from colleagues? What is conveyed to him from other people's words?
news
One of the versions of the Empathy Map created for interface development
Filling in the internal blocks
At this stage, we analyze what thoughts and feelings influence the behavior of our clients.
The block is divided into two sectors:
"pains" - what are their fears, frustrations and concerns that interfere with solving the problem?
"benefits" - what are their desires, needs, hopes and dreams?
If the outer blocks represent the user experience, then these blocks reflect the inner world of our client. By the way, Dave Gray believes that the map versions where the "Thinks" and "Feels" blocks are on the edges are wrong. In such maps, the order of filling is violated, and the main goal of the exercise fades into the background.
The purpose of the Empathy Map is to feel from the inside what it is like to be your client. When you first fill in the outer blocks and only then move on to the inner ones, you will feel the full potential of this exercise.
Important: If the process of filling out the Map gets stuck, change the format a little: let someone from the working group take on the role of the client, and the rest of the storming participants ask him questions.
Resume
The empathy map collects and visualizes the deep characteristics of the target audience: needs, motives, values, problems, etc.
The completed Map can be used every time you need to understand the customer’s point of view regarding a product, service, service and many other issues.
Make the Empathy Map accessible, update it regularly, and collect feedback from your team. Then the tool will not lose its effectiveness.
news
We left the last Empathy Map in plain sight – it’s convenient to refer to the notes during project discussions
An empathy map works best when it is based on real data. Therefore, it is best to create it based on relevant experiences, after studying interviews and collecting personal opinions.
Typically, creating an Empathy Map is a quick (30-60 minute) exercise rather than an exhaustive study. Although the Map is not a complete psychological portrait, it certainly helps to understand the client more deeply. It is one of the most effective brainstorming formats.
You will get insights for creating the best version of your product when you deeply understand your client: what worries and pleases them, what they strive for, how they make decisions, etc. This requires empathy - the ability to sympathize with another person, the ability to put yourself in their place.
news
It's easy to empathize with someone you know, someone with whom you have had a similar experience. But what do you do when you don't know the person?
The correct answer is to develop empathy
content writing service using special techniques. One of them is the Empathy Map.
What is an empathy map?
news
Excerpt from the book "Business Model Building"
The empathy map was created many years ago by Dave Gray, the founder of XPLANE , the creator of the Gamestorming brainstorming technique, and the author of books on visual thinking practices.
The map consists of 7 blocks, the numbering of which corresponds to the order of filling.
Today, the Empathy Map is actively used in agile approaches, design thinking, and is included in the toolkit of the Stanford School of Design.
Business consultant Alexander Osterwalder noted the Empathy Map in his book, Building Business Models, as a tool for understanding the customer:
“It will help you go beyond purely demographic characteristics of the consumer and better understand their environment, behavior, problems and joys. The result will be a more successful business model, because the consumer profile will help you create a better value proposition, more convenient and more suitable customer journeys. Ultimately, you will be able to better understand what the consumer is really willing to pay for.”
Where it is used
If empathy is sympathy for the current emotional state of another person, then the Empathy Map is a way to structure the process of building empathy, to make it more visual and understandable.
By filling in block after block, you systematize the key characteristics of the target audience into a coherent ecosystem: environment, problems, aspirations, experience, fears, worries, etc.
The empathy map is relevant where you need to look at the product through the eyes of the client:
strategy development
script development
launch or refinement of a product/service
differentiation from competitors
search for new directions
improving service levels
working with the atmosphere in the company
If you are already familiar with the audience, the Empathy Map will detail the context of product use and will show where the gaps in the data are at the start of the project.
At Original Works , we use this tool not only when developing our main product, but also when preparing speakers for presentations, planning publications, creating white papers, or preparing commercial proposals.
How to compose
There are many different versions of the Empathy Map available on the Internet, which often differ from the original in the set of questions and the order in which they are completed.
news
The new Empathy Map template has new blocks added, and the order of filling has become clear thanks to the numbering
We recommend that you follow the original technology to get the most out of this tool.
In 2017, after collaborating with Alexander Osterwalder, Dave Gray accumulated his experience with templates and created a new version of the Empathy Map.
We suggest taking a closer look at the procedure for filling it out.
Preparation
The empathy map is a brainstorming tool. For teamwork to be effective, it is important to:
prepare in advance: if you send materials to participants 2-3 days in advance, they will have time to get acquainted with the topic, think about the tasks and prepare the necessary data;
state the main task at the beginning of the discussion - this way you will ensure that all participants are on the same page and know the goals and rules of the work;
record the progress of the brainstorming session – choose a person who will record the ideas so that nothing is missed. For notes on a flip chart, good handwriting is critical!
HOW TO FILL OUT
To create an Empathy Map, we fill in all the map blocks sequentially – the numbering of the blocks corresponds to the order in which they are filled in.
You can fill out a template printed on paper - this option is suitable for working in small groups.
For a large team, it is best to use a flip chart or a marker board. If you are making a map in a large format, it is convenient to record the theses on stickers - they can be easily removed or moved to another place.
news
Using a flip chart for brainstorming
Where to get data
To create an Empathy Map, you need to collect information about the client's experience and personal opinion. You will receive some of this data from the members of the working group. Narrow specialists will be able to fill in only a part of the sectors qualitatively. Therefore, for large-scale tasks, it is logical to involve more employees with various competencies, whose experience is relevant to the task at hand.
Where can I get additional data about the client to create the Map:
social media profiles
discussions on thematic platforms, forums, communities
high-quality specialized media
comments under publications
news
The working group for creating the map: analyst, sales manager, head of the loyalty department, account manager, lawyer, head of the optimizer department, and marketer.
Setting goals
We start creating an Empathy Map with goals: WITH WHOM we are building empathy, and WHAT this person should, in our opinion, DO.
To do this, draw a circle in the center (it will represent the hero of our map), give it a name, and record additional characteristics. The latter are needed if you are creating several Maps for different audience segments.
In Dave Gray's template, a person's profile is already drawn in the center of the Map - the personification of the client. The author recommends adapting it, adding character traits, emotions. You can add details (glasses, hairstyle, tie, etc.), use a photo of a real person or character. When the profile on the Map becomes more like a real user, it will be easier for you to project their experience onto yourself.
At this point, there is a risk of going into the easy part and thinking not about “what do we want this person to do” but about “what do we want them to understand?” Focus on what you are really looking for: action. Ask yourself or the group “what will happen when they understand?”
Filling external blocks
Next, we sequentially fill in the blocks "Sees", "Says", "Does" and "Hears". Each block introduces a separate aspect of our hero's sensory experience.
For example, when we were preparing a report on competitor analysis, it was important to understand whether the audience conducts competitor analysis and how exactly they do it, what sources of information they trust, what exactly is written on these platforms about competitor analysis, what the audience hears in their circle on this topic, etc.
In total, you need to fill in 4 external blocks:
"What does he see?" - this block characterizes the client's external environment, his social circle, the leaders whose opinions he listens to: what does he see in the market and in his immediate environment on the necessary topic? What does he see from what is being done and said around him? What does he watch and read?
"What does he say?" - we study what we heard from what he said. What words can we imagine that he would say on the topic that concerns us?
"What is he doing?" - we record specific actions: what is he doing today? What behavior have we observed in the past? What behavior can we imagine?
"What does he hear?" - we determine what he hears from other people. What does he hear from friends? What from colleagues? What is conveyed to him from other people's words?
news
One of the versions of the Empathy Map created for interface development
Filling in the internal blocks
At this stage, we analyze what thoughts and feelings influence the behavior of our clients.
The block is divided into two sectors:
"pains" - what are their fears, frustrations and concerns that interfere with solving the problem?
"benefits" - what are their desires, needs, hopes and dreams?
If the outer blocks represent the user experience, then these blocks reflect the inner world of our client. By the way, Dave Gray believes that the map versions where the "Thinks" and "Feels" blocks are on the edges are wrong. In such maps, the order of filling is violated, and the main goal of the exercise fades into the background.
The purpose of the Empathy Map is to feel from the inside what it is like to be your client. When you first fill in the outer blocks and only then move on to the inner ones, you will feel the full potential of this exercise.
Important: If the process of filling out the Map gets stuck, change the format a little: let someone from the working group take on the role of the client, and the rest of the storming participants ask him questions.
Resume
The empathy map collects and visualizes the deep characteristics of the target audience: needs, motives, values, problems, etc.
The completed Map can be used every time you need to understand the customer’s point of view regarding a product, service, service and many other issues.
Make the Empathy Map accessible, update it regularly, and collect feedback from your team. Then the tool will not lose its effectiveness.
news
We left the last Empathy Map in plain sight – it’s convenient to refer to the notes during project discussions
An empathy map works best when it is based on real data. Therefore, it is best to create it based on relevant experiences, after studying interviews and collecting personal opinions.
Typically, creating an Empathy Map is a quick (30-60 minute) exercise rather than an exhaustive study. Although the Map is not a complete psychological portrait, it certainly helps to understand the client more deeply. It is one of the most effective brainstorming formats.