Importance of empathy maps

Having empathy is very important for designers. It allows us to step into the shoes of our users and feel their emotions and pain points. When we have this mindset, we can design a user-centred product. I hope that this task will not only give me a better understanding of my users but also to those who provide a helping hand to me during the process.

I have been researching the problem and the users extensively over the past few weeks. Therefore, I will use this knowledge to create more accurate empathy maps. As I continue my research and conduct user surveys in the coming weeks, I can add to these.

I decided to do two empathy maps as I have two types of users. One for the parents and one for the children themselves.

Parent

Writing down what a parent may say, think, do and feel has opened my eyes. More often than not, a parent just wants what is best for their child. When they see their child struggling with reading it can make them think they have done something wrong as a parent. This can lead to feelings of guilt and worry. They may also struggle to know what their child’s reading ability is and not know what books are suitable for them. This can cause them to waste money on irrelevant books.

How will my product solve these issues?

• I hope it gives parents peace of mind about the books their children are reading. They will feel confident in knowing the books are helping their children improve and thrive.
• Parents won’t have to waste money on irrelevant books or pay for tutors to help their children improve.
• The product will provide time away from screens for their children. It will make reading more enjoyable and it will become a regular activity. Therefore, parents won’t worry as much about screen time.
• It will make parents aware of their child’s reading ability. This will show them the importance of knowing this information.
• It will teach them to have patience with their child as every child is unique and develops skills at different rates.

Child

When children struggle with reading, it can become frustrating and cause an aversion to books. When they are continuously given books that are too difficult it can make them feel like something is wrong with them. This can cause feelings of embarrassment and shame. They may internalise these feelings and begin misbehaving in school or at home.

They may begin to choose smart devices over books as it is something they are more comfortable using. However, this can lead to a shorter attention span and difficulty concentrating. Overall, books become something they see as a chore.