Empathy Map Template

What is an empathy map?

An empathy map is a simple grid that captures what a user says, thinks, does, and feels — pulled from real research rather than assumption. Where a persona answers who you're designing for, an empathy map gets the whole team inside that person's head, so you design for their actual experience instead of your own.

The classic empathy map template has four quadrants — Says, Thinks, Does, Feels — and most teams add two more below them: the user's Pains (frustrations, blockers, risks) and Gains (wants, hopes, the definition of success). Fill it in together right after interviews while the notes are fresh.

Get the empathy map template

Pick your format — both contain the same says / thinks / does / feels layout.

Opens a duplicatable Figma empathy map — copy it into your own files and edit it like any frame.

Downloads a printable PDF empathy map you can fill in by hand or annotate on-screen.

What goes in each quadrant

Quadrant	What to capture
Says	Direct quotes from interviews or support tickets
Thinks	Beliefs and questions they may not say out loud
Does	Observable actions and behaviors
Feels	The emotions behind the behavior
Pains	Frustrations, blockers, and risks
Gains	Wants, hopes, and what success looks like

How to use it

1. Base it on research — interview quotes, session recordings, support logs — not guesses.
2. Fill it in as a team so everyone shares one picture of the user.
3. Look for tension between says and does — that gap is usually where the real insight is.
4. Turn it into action — feed the Pains and Gains straight into your next round of design decisions.

Pair it with the rest of the kit

An empathy map captures a moment in the user's head. Map the whole experience and the person behind it:

• Journey Map Template — trace the user through each stage of their experience to surface friction and the moments that matter.
• Persona Template — turn this picture into a one-page portrait of who you're designing for.