Empathy maps are gaining traction in learning design as a tool for understanding learners’ perspectives, experiences, and environments. They help designers see beyond surface-level traits to better grasp what motivates and challenges their audiences. This makes empathy maps a perfect complement to persona development. (Learn about using personas in instructional design.)
A Little Background
The empathy map was originally developed by the visual thinking company XPLANE, led by Dave Gray. Gray described its purpose as helping teams “cultivate a deep, shared understanding and empathy for other people.” This shared understanding can lead to better product design, enhanced customer experiences, and better workplace environments. And now they are used for designing learning experiences.
Why You Should Use Empathy Maps for Instructional Design
Empathy maps bring learners’ perspectives into sharper focus, revealing insights that can transform how you design and create learning experiences. The benefits of using an empathy map include the following:
- Goes Beyond Demographics
Rather than focusing on demographics like age or education, empathy maps reveal what audience members actually think, feel, see, hear, say, and do. This fuller picture uncovers their motivations, challenges, and learning context, helping you move beyond assumptions and stereotypes. - Improves Accessibility and Inclusion
Empathy helps you design for the full range of learner experiences. By anticipating ability differences, background knowledge, and comfort with technology, you can make design choices that reduce barriers and foster inclusion. - Increases Relevance
Understanding the goals and pain points of the target audience allows you to design practical, meaningful learning experiences. This insight can help you connect content to real tasks, which makes learning more engaging and more likely to stick. - Reveals Motivators and Demotivators
When an empathy map uncovers what drives or frustrates your audience, you can choose a tone and a solution that resonates with them. For example, if employees are frustrated by constant policy changes, on the job performance support is a better solution than a compliance-heavy course of rules and regulations. - Focuses on User-centered Design
An empathy map provides a visual reference you can revisit throughout the design process. This keeps you focused on human needs, not just content delivery.
When to Use an Empathy Map
Empathy map development fits naturally within the Analysis phase of the instructional design process, when the goal is to understand the audience and their context. You can collect data with audience and manager interviews, surveys, and records. The insights you gain can inform design choices and shape the learning experience. Later, you can return to the empathy map and persona to validate the instructional strategies and design decisions you’ve made.
Misconceptions about Empathy Maps
- Empathy maps are data collection tools
An empathy map is a synthesis of insights about learners and users gathered from data collection tools (interviews, surveys, records, informal listening). The map is a visualization of your synthesis. - You must answer every question in the empathy map
You don’t need to answer every question and some may not even apply to your situation. Think of the questions as prompts that guide conversations and reflections not as a checklist. - Empathy Maps Replace Audience Research
Empathy maps are a synthesis of your research. It’s informed by real inputs: conversations, observations, records, and feedback. - Empathy Maps Replace Personas
Personas describe who learners are. Empathy maps reveal their inner world to better understand what shapes their experience, decisions, and behavior.
A Question Guide for Learning Design
In 2017, Dave Gray updated his empathy map. In this article, I’ve adapted his updated version for learning design (with his permission). You can download my new two-page empathy map at the end of this article.
Below is a list of questions currently on the adapted empathy map. Think of them as prompts rather than a checklist. Skim through them to better understand the learner’s reality. Capture short insights, phrases, or observations from your data on the map. The goal is to see the world through their eyes so you can design effective experiences that truly help them succeed.
Start with: What is the GOAL?
- What outcomes are important to the participants?
- What obstacles are they facing related to the goal?
- Why does this goal matter to them?
1. WHO are they?
- Which audience or group are we trying to understand?
- What situation or context are they in when this learning or behavior applies?
2. What do they NEED TO DO?
- What behaviors or skills related to the goal must they demonstrate on the job?
- What improvement are they trying to make in their work?
- What skills or habits do they feel they need to build?
3. What do they SEE?
- What do they see in their daily work environment?
- What do they observe from peers, leaders, or culture?
- What tools or systems are part of their workflow?
4. What do they SAY?
- How do they talk about the skill or task addressed in the learning experience?
- What do they say about their struggles, goals, or motivations?
- What language or phrases do they use?
5. What do they DO?
- What actions and habits related to the goal do they currently demonstrate?
- What routines or workarounds do they rely on when things get challenging?
6. What do they HEAR?
- What messages, feedback, or guidance influence their behavior?
- What do they absorb from peers, leaders, or workplace culture?
7. What do they THINK and FEEL?
- What thoughts and emotions influence their behavior?
- Pains: What frustrations, fears, or barriers make it difficult to achieve their goal?
- Gains: What positive outcomes or motivations drive them to succeed or improve?
What Happens After the Empathy Map Is Filled In?
After your empathy map is filled in with key insights, your next step is to translate those findings into thoughtful design decisions.
- Share your insights for validation
Discuss your findings with teammates, subject matter experts, and learners when possible. Confirm that your interpretations are accurate and identify anything you may have missed or misunderstood. - Look for patterns and themes
Identify recurring emotions, beliefs, and behaviors. Notice where points of friction occur and where gaps exist. Sometimes there’s a disconnect between what people think and what they actually do. These may be typical human inconsistencies or a sign that you need to get more information. - Identify performance barriers
Identify what is preventing people from achieving the desired behavior. Are the barriers related to knowledge, skill, environment, or culture? If you plan to use action mapping for a content analysis, you’ll be likely to uncover the causes. - Connect insights to design decisions
Translate your findings into design choices. For example, if participants feel anxious about performing a task, create psychological safety through simulations, guided practice, and supportive feedback. If they already feel confident in certain skills, use pretests and adaptive learning to personalize your experience. - Prioritize what matters most. Realistically, you won’t be able to act on every insight. Decide which ones will have the greatest impact on learning outcomes or behavior change, and focus on those.
Conclusion
Using empathy maps and personas as part of the audience analysis adds a human-centered approach to the instructional design process. They help us uncover the motivations, challenges and habits that shape behavior. This is one way to avoid designing to inform and replace it with designing that supports real-world performance.
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