Understanding stakeholders is not optional – it drives better decisions and stronger outcomes. An Empathy Map visualizes exactly what a specific stakeholder says, thinks, does, and feels, giving the team a shared, evidence-based view of their real needs and motivations.

Empathy maps are traditionally divided into 4 quadrants with the stakeholder in the middle. Each quadrant contains:

  1. Says – direct quotes and requests
  2. Thinks – unspoken concerns or beliefs
  3. Does – observable actions and behaviours
  4. Feels – emotions that drive their decisions

Example

The image below represents an example of the Empathy Map. In this example, John, the client, wants to apply for a government grant for his company.

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Understanding stakeholders and building empathy with them helps us remove biases, discover weaknesses, needs, and goals.