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Tool #2: Empathy Mapping
By Greg Winfield - The Young Foundation
For social innovations at any stage of
development it is key to have a clear and
in-depth understanding of the primary
beneficiary – the person they are trying to
help through their activity. Empathy mapping
is a flexible visual tool that breaks down key
areas of understanding (or lack of) about the
beneficiary which can then be referred to
when designing a product or service to
address their needs.
An empathy map can be drawn in different
ways, but generally keeps a representation of
an example individual at the centre of the
page, with sections stemming from them
relating to areas such as:
• what they see around them in their local
environment
• what their hear their family and friends
saying
• what makes them happy
• what makes them sad/concerned.
By drawing out this map before you speak to
real beneficiaries you identify assumptions.
These can then be tested against a
conversation with a beneficiary or with people
who work with them on a regular basis. The
empathy map can then be updated to form a
reference tool for use throughout an
innovation design process by asking “would
person X like this/benefit from this/use this”
etc.
Reference: TRANSITION London, The Young
Foundation, Social Innovation Workbook #2