The Empathy Map Framework is a human-centered tool used to gain deeper insight into a customer’s mindset, behaviors, and emotional landscape. By mapping out what a customer thinks, feels, sees, hears, says, and does, this framework helps marketers and product teams build a well-rounded understanding of their audience beyond surface-level demographics. It highlights both the customer’s internal motivations—like fears and aspirations—and external influences, such as social input or environmental factors.

This framework is especially powerful for improving messaging, product design, and customer experience. It forces teams to step into the customer’s shoes, considering their goals, challenges, and perceptions from multiple angles. The result is more empathetic and effective communication, as well as solutions that truly resonate with the people they’re built for.