Exercises: The customer's perspective: empathy map

Explain what an empathy map is, what purpose it serves in business model design, and how it differs from a statistics-based market research study.

The classic empathy map has four quadrants: what they SEE, what they HEAR, what they THINK and FEEL, and what they SAY and DO. Categorise these observations of a revision app user: "my friends use a different app", "too many ads pop up on the screen", "feels embarrassed to ask questions in class", and "says they will get serious this month, but statistics show only two study sessions".

The figure shows a customer empathy map, with three of its four sections filled in. Identify the missing section, marked with "?", and write two statements for that section for a student using a revision app.

Classify these observations of a shared transport app user into the corresponding empathy map area: "there is no shelter at the stop and it is raining", "his friends say that car sharing is cool", "he thinks that arriving late looks really bad" and "every morning he requests the car ten minutes before leaving".

Explain what the pains and the gains capture at the base of the empathy map, with an example of each for a customer of an online academy.

From these four statements about an online banking customer, separate those belonging to "thinks and feels" from those of "says and does": "he is afraid his card will be stolen", "he says he no longer sets foot in the branch", "waiting on the phone infuriates him" and "he has recommended the app to two colleagues".

A team designs an app for older people without talking to any of them and based on their own tastes. Explain what risk that design runs and what two simple techniques (interviews, observation) would have fed a real empathy map.

Write two statements per area (what he sees, what he hears, what he thinks and feels, what he says and does) for the empathy map of a father looking for second-hand textbooks for his children.

Complete an empathy map for a 16-year-old student preparing for university entrance exams using an app: write two mutually consistent statements for each area (sees, hears, thinks and feels, says and does).

At the bottom of the empathy map are pains (frustrations, fears, obstacles) and gains (wants, expected benefits). For this gym customer: "hates the 7 p.m. crowds", "wants to get in shape before summer", "feels unmotivated to go alone", and "dreams of running a fun run", separate the pains and gains and explain how you would use this information.

A potential customer states in a survey that they love the idea of a healthy cooking app, but never actually downloads it. Explain what this contradiction between what they say and what they do reveals, and what two checks you would carry out before investing further in the idea.

Build the empathy map of a parcel delivery driver who would use a route planning app: two consistent statements per area, and point out which of his frustrations the app should address first and why.

A bicycle shop observes that many customers ask about electric bikes but buy few. Explain what may be going on in the "thinks and feels" and "says and does" areas of the empathy map, and what two checks the shop would make before ordering more stock.

About a regular food delivery customer we know: "he hates waiting without knowing where his order is", "he loves not cooking during the week", "paying delivery fees annoys him", "he likes trying new restaurants", "he fears the food will arrive cold" and "he boasts about ordering healthy food". Separate pains and gains, and propose one specific improvement to the service for the pain you consider most important.

Sketch the empathy map of a teenager who buys second-hand clothes through an app: one statement per area, making sure that what he does is consistent with what he feels (for example, the pressure from his group to wear brands).

You can do it on paper and send a photo with your answer.

From the empathy map of a home repairs service customer we know his pains ("he does not trust that the technician is who they say they are", "fear of surprise prices") and his gains ("he wants to fix the breakdown without losing the morning", "he wishes to pay a fair price"). Write a one-sentence value proposition that responds to those pains and explain which two elements of the service would make it credible (verified technicians, a fixed price agreed in advance).

A ready-meal company believes its customers want a wider variety of dishes, yet sales are falling. An empathy map reveals that customers feel guilty about not cooking and perceive ready meals as unhealthy. Explain how the understanding of the problem changes thanks to the empathy map, and what two changes to the value proposition it suggests.

An educational technology company launches an after-school tutoring app, defining its segment on its business model canvas as: “families with children in Primary education, annual income exceeding €45,000, and living in urban areas.” Despite being a demographically broad and financially solvent market, subscriptions are almost nonexistent.

1. a) Justify why the sociodemographic description of the “Customer Segments” block proved insufficient and what critical aspects of user behavior it fails to capture on its own.
2. b) Explain how the canvas and the empathy map complement each other, and determine at what point in the validation process the latter should have been used to avoid wasting resources.
3. c) Propose two hypotheses regarding the fears or frustrations (pains) and two regarding the aspirations (gains) of these families that explain why a digital solution might generate pushback despite their income level.

Construct the empathy map of a teacher overwhelmed by marking, as a potential customer of an automated marking app: complete the four areas with two statements each and, based on them, write a one-sentence value proposition addressing their main frustration.

A chain of municipal swimming pools wants to launch a water activities club for people over 65. a) Build the empathy map of a typical female customer with two statements per area. b) Formulate two pains and two gains. c) Propose an adjustment to the value proposition that responds to her main frustration.

A company designs its product for "the average customer": 42 years old, two children, average income. The product does not fit anyone in particular and fails. Explain why a specific, well-empathised profile, even if it represents a smaller group, usually works better than a statistical average, and give an example of a product that only makes sense for a very well-defined profile.

In surveys, 80% of the users of a personal finance app say they want to save more, but only 5% use the automatic saving feature. Explain what this contradiction between saying and doing reveals, and design two techniques (interviews about past behaviour, observation of real use) to discover what holds users back.

A car sharing app is undecided whether to launch first with university students or with retired people. Sketch a mini empathy map of each segment (one statement per area) and, comparing them, recommend which one to start with based on the intensity of the problem and the ease of reaching them.

You can do it on paper and send a photo with your answer.

The founding team of a low-cost gym chain meets in their office and, in a two-hour session, fills out the empathy map for their potential customers based on what they “believe people feel”: they assume the user hates waking up early, fears long-term contracts, and only looks for price. Based on these assumptions, they launch a no-commitment plan with exclusive afternoon access, but customer acquisition turns out to be a failure.

1. a) Refute the statement “the empathy map consists of imagining what the customer feels” and predict what consequences filling out this tool exclusively “from the office” has on the business model.
2. b) Explain the difference between a hypothesis about the customer and validated data.
3. c) Design a research plan using two empirical techniques (for example, direct observation and qualitative interviews based on past events) to rebuild this map with real data. Detail what you would observe in the field and what specific question you would ask in the interview to prevent the user from giving you answers just to please you.

Unit challenge. Imagine that you are going to launch a digital tutoring or youth leisure service in your municipality. Your mission is to design a viable proposal solving real needs detected in your local environment.

1. Empathy and real data: Interview 5 high school peers about their common problems regarding study organization or access to leisure. With their answers, create an empathy map identifying what they feel, hear, see, and say/do, as well as their main pains and needs.

2. Proposal and pattern: Based on the identified pains, define your value proposition. Select and justify an appropriate business model pattern to monetize it (e.g., freemium, subscription, or multi-sided platform).

3. Business Model Canvas: Fill in the 9 building blocks of the Canvas. Include a reasoned estimate of revenues and initial fixed costs (e.g., calculating a baseline expense of $35,50$ €/month for hosting and web tools).

Submit a one-page executive report featuring the empathy map and the Business Model Canvas.

Assessment criteria:

• Logical and direct coherence between the empathy map findings and the value proposition.

• Correct integration and definition of the 9 building blocks of the Canvas and the chosen pattern.

• Realism, viability, and internal consistency between the cost structure and revenue streams.