A Key Tool for Startups to Understand Customers.

An empathy map is a collaborative visualization tool designed to articulate what customers think, feel, say, and do. It typically includes six quadrants:

• Says: What customers express about their experiences.
• Thinks: Their unspoken thoughts or concerns.
• Does: Actions they take to address their needs.
• Feels: Emotional states related to their experiences.
• Pains: Challenges or obstacles faced.
• Gains: Desired outcomes or benefits from your product.

Empathy maps help startups gain a deep understanding of their target audience, tailor products to meet user needs, and enhance customer engagement.

1. Identify your target audience into specific personas.
2. Gather insights to inform your empathy map.
3. Keep the map updated with new customer feedback.
4. Use tools like Miro to collaboratively fill in each quadrant based on your insights.
5. Use the findings to prioritize product features, and improve user experience.

• Keep it collaborative—engage your entire team for diverse insights.
• Be specific—base the map on concrete data from real customer feedback.
• Focus on emotions—understanding how users feel can lead to impactful improvements.
• Iterate regularly to adapt to changing customer needs.