Free empathy map

The empathy map helps organisations better understand the people at the heart of their initiatives—whether that’s clients, stakeholders, or end users. It offers a low-cost, high-impact way of centering real human perspectives early in the project lifecycle.

Organisations use empathy maps to build a more complete picture of their target audience before decisions are made. This helps guide everything from communication planning to service design.

Use it to shape:

• How you design or frame new initiatives
• How you engage with specific stakeholders
• How you address the real concerns and motivations of the people you're trying to support

What’s in an Empathy Map?

Who are we empathising with?
Describe the individual or group. Include relevant context like age, gender, background, role, or situation.

What do we want them to do?
Identify the key decisions, behaviours or actions you want from them. Focus on what success looks like from their point of view.

What do they think and feel?
Explore their internal world. What worries them? What do they hope for? Include fears, anxieties, and frustrations alongside dreams and aspirations.

What do they see and hear?
Understand the world around them. What messages are they receiving? Who is influencing their behaviour—friends, family, media, or broader cultural trends?

What do they say and do?
Describe how they present themselves to others. Does this match how they feel inside, or is there a mismatch between their outward behaviour and inner thoughts?

Why Use an Empathy Map?

The Empathy Map offers several practical benefits:

Puts people at the centre: Grounds decision-making in the lived experience of users or stakeholders rather than assumptions.

Improves communication: Helps teams tailor messages and approaches that actually resonate with the audience’s priorities and emotional state.

Supports stakeholder engagement: Builds stronger, more genuine relationships by showing that you’ve taken time to understand what really matters to them.

Reduces risk: Identifies misalignments early—between what your organisation wants and what your audience needs—before you invest time or money.

Drives innovation: Uncovers insights and unmet needs that can lead to creative, user-informed solutions.

Use the empathy map before you define the “what” or “how” of a solution, because the best ideas come from understanding the “who.”

For free resources that build skills in people-centred project planning, check out OPEN, our online project management program. It’s designed for professionals of all levels who want to plan better, deliver smarter, and create real impact.