Blog 1: Empathy Map

To better understand how to empathize with people and consumers that are different from myself and therefore have different needs, wants, and problems, I have created this empathy map. To build empathy with the consumer increases your chance at successfully designing. If you understand the consumer, you can better anticipate their problems, understand their wants and needs, and overall improve the design thinking process by streamlining the ideation process to target the right customer. This map explores the thoughts, actions, and inner desires of my friend Bill*, who is currently a sophomore in high school in Austin, TX.

At this point in Bill’s life, his world revolves around school, sports, friends and family. He is currently very excited about playing football for his high school football team. He plays for a smaller school and is a starting defensive player. This gives him a sense of ownership, manhood and power that he did not have before or outside of football. His confidence is increased whenever he plays well and is recognized for his efforts. The approval of his coaches, father, and men he looks up to in the sports world is very important to him. As a young impressionable kid just beginning to build his high school “image”, he wants to be seen as cool, but he is actually a genuinely kind-hearted would. An important part of the high school image that every “cool guy” strives for is attention from girls. Athletic success, charm, looks and style all matter at this stage of Bill’s life to gain such attention. Soon enough, Bill will be looking to get his driving permit and maybe even start asking or saving for a car. Of course he will want to be able to drive himself around so that he no longer has to be under the direct control of his parents, and does not have to be seen with them in public around his friends. This desire for independence is in contrast to Bill’s natural instinct, which is to strongly value his family and their love and approval. Bill is starting to try to accurately balance on the line between “momma’s boy” and independent teen, pleasing his family and his friends by dividing his loyalty.

Attending a small private high school, Bill’s environment at school is very structured and orderly, with his friends being from generally middle class to upper-middle class families and some religious background. His friends all strive to have the coolest things, be it phones, video games, sports equipment, or Nike shoes. Bill and his friends want to impress each other, of course, and also impress girls. This grows their confidence and self-esteem, and gives them an advantage over their peers. There are many products aimed at this category and demographic of consumer. Bill is being targeted by advertisers of men’s shoes endorsed by professional athletes, the latest model of video games with the “best” visuals of a graphic nature that Bill plays to feel power over others (even if they are animated), and clothing worn by handsome men surrounded by beautiful women. Body wash designed to attract girls, headphones that make you look “cool”, and manly trucks all target Bill to promise him that these things will help him fit in and be the coolest guy on campus.

Bill is a very nice guy. He is always smiling and trying to make people happy. He is generally very nice to his parents in public, never wanting to disappoint anyone, especially his family or friends. Although he will try to say otherwise, he is a fairly shy person and will be nervous to talk to people that he does not know well. He is always kind, though, with a gentle and happy spirit that is contagious to those around him. Even his outward appearance is welcoming. His caring parents want him to look his best when he goes out in the public, always making sure his clothes fit right, his pants don’t sag, his hair is not too long, and his outfits at least somewhat coordinate. Although not overly dressed and formal, Bill is typically dressed appropriately and in a put-together manner. 

Many people have influence over Bill, as he is such an open-hearted guy. The other kids at school say that he should put his worth into being good at sports, and this is reinforced when his parents and coaches are so proud of him when he plays well. Also, when he sees on TV his sports idols and hears that he needs to work harder to become more like them, he craves that popularity and athletic success. He hears from his teachers and mother that he needs to get all A’s in school to be successful. He tries to study, but he can’t focus because his friends want to hang out and if a girl texts him, that immediately becomes first priority. As a teenager, he wants to make his own decisions, but the desire to fit in skews his decisions towards what he hears around him.

Disappointment is a fear for many teenagers, and Bill is no different. In this stage of his life, there are many people that Bill could feel like he is disappointing in certain circumstances, and he is still young enough and has the personality to care deeply about others’ opinions of him. It doesn’t help that as a teenager in high school there are so many things going on and he is always so busy. With different activities going on all of the time and being involved with so many extra-curricular activities, it is hard for Bill to sit and reflect upon his thoughts and ideas. It is hard for him to be at peace and focus on what he truly loves and wants to pursue when the biggest aim in his friend group is to be involved with as many things as possible. It is frustrating for Bill to feel the need to impress people all the time and feeling like he is too young to be taken seriously. He just wants to be a kid. 

Bill wants to help people. Not in the sense that he desires to travel to third-world countries and build wells and adopt orphans, but in the sense that he wants the people around him to be happy and comfortable in his company. He values his family and is close to his relatives because he feels valued by them. He measures success by how people react to him. He wants his parents, coaches or friends, depending on who he was targeting with the action, to think what he did was a good idea. Bill is a sweet kid who loves his family and friends, and just wants them to reciprocate that love with approval and respect. 

*Names were changed

Pictures found via Google Images through these sources:

http://www.thecoreinstitute.com/patient-and-visitor-information/sports-medicine-program/high-school-coverage-benefits.html

http://hiswayphotography.com/senior-pictures-york-pa-photographer/

http://thewire.sheknows.com/2010/10/26/lebron-james-nike-commercial-breaks-500000-views-in-record-time/ 
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2010/02/isaiah-mustafa-old-spice-commercial.html 
http://hiphopwired.com/2012/11/21/will-i-am-2-chainz-azealia-banks-and-lil-wayne-star-in-new-beats-by-dre-ad-video/ 
http://www.jcpenney.com/dotcom/jsp/search/results.jsp?containerId=JCP|Welcome&cmJCP_C=Feature&cmJCP_T=T1&fromSearch=true&Ntt=uniform%20school&ruleZoneName=XGNSZone&N=4294966567&cm_re=S2-_-CAT-_-UNIFORMS 
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-8867176/stock-photo-typical-american-family.html 
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http://www.maxpreps.com/news/J8fQxtHJEeC-rAAmVebEWg/colerain-snaps-cocoas-38-game-football-win-streak.htm