Empathy Mapping Exercise

Step 1: Setup

• Materials Needed: Large sheets of paper or whiteboards, markers, customer data (scenarios, feedback, demographics), sticky notes.
• Room Preparation: Set up a comfortable space with stations for teams, each equipped with the necessary tools for creating empathy maps.

Step 2: Briefing Participants

• Explain the purpose of the game: to create a visual representation of customer perspectives and enhance understanding of different user segments.
• Outline the basic sections of an empathy map: Think & Feel, Hear, See, Say & Do, Pain, and Gain.

Step 3: Starting the Game

• Distribute customer scenarios to each team, detailing specific backgrounds, needs, and goals.

Step 4: Research and Data Gathering

• Teams use provided data to fill out the 'Think & Feel' and 'See' sections, hypothesizing about the customer's internal and external world.

Step 5: Role-play and Observation

• Participants role-play based on their customer's profile to explore 'Say & Do' and 'Hear' sections, imagining interactions and influences in the customer's life.

Step 6: Identification of Pains and Gains

• Teams discuss and note down potential pains (challenges and obstacles) and gains (desires and needs) their customer might experience.

Step 7: Empathy Map Compilation

• Combine insights from all sections into a comprehensive empathy map on a large sheet or whiteboard.

Step 8: Presentation and Feedback

• Each team presents their empathy map, explaining the rationale behind their entries and how these insights can impact real-life strategies.

Step 9: Critical Review

• Facilitator and other teams provide feedback, focusing on the depth of empathy and understanding shown, as well as potential missing elements.

Step 10: Debriefing

• Discuss the overall learning experience, emphasizing the importance of empathetic customer engagement and how it can be integrated into daily operations.

Step 11: Reflection and Learning

• Participants reflect on how this exercise will affect their approach to their roles and customer interactions.

Step 12: Feedback Collection

• Gather feedback on the exercise's format and effectiveness to refine future sessions.

Step 13: Follow-Up

• Schedule a follow-up session to revisit empathy mapping and discuss its ongoing application in projects and strategies.

Step 14: Celebrating Success

• Acknowledge teams or individuals who demonstrated exceptional insight and creativity in understanding customer needs.

The Empathy Mapping Exercise not only fosters a deeper connection with customers but also equips participants with a valuable tool for ongoing customer-centric innovation and development.

‍