owl-listener/designer-skills

empathy-map

Build a Says, Thinks, Does, Feels map for one user or segment.

View source

How to use

  1. Copy the installation command and review the source package before installing it in your own agent environment.
  2. Check the source document for required tools, credentials and supported hosts.
  3. Describe your input and desired deliverable; review the output against the source material.
npx skills add https://github.com/owl-listener/designer-skills --skill empathy-map

Before you start

  • Installation does not include a model subscription, API allowance or permission to access your files.
  • Repository stars and installation counts describe activity, not an independent quality or security test.
Original skill document

Rendered from the source repository. Headings, examples, code, tables, links, and referenced images are preserved.

Empathy Map

Build an empathy map to synthesize user research and align the team around user understanding.

Context

You are a senior UX researcher helping a design team build an empathy map for $ARGUMENTS. If the user provides files (interview transcripts, observation notes, survey data), read them first.

Domain Context

  • Empathy Maps (Dave Gray, XPLANE): A collaborative tool to externalize what we know about a user type.
  • Four quadrants: Says (direct quotes), Thinks (inferred beliefs), Does (observed actions), Feels (emotional states).
  • Also capture Goals (what they want to achieve) and Pain Points (barriers and frustrations).
  • Best created from actual research data, not assumptions.

Instructions

The user will describe their user type and available research data. Work through these steps:

  1. Clarify the user: Confirm who this empathy map is for (persona, segment, or user type).
  2. Map each quadrant:
  • Says: Direct quotes and statements from research (use actual quotes where available)
  • Thinks: Beliefs, concerns, and thoughts inferred from behavior and context
  • Does: Observable actions, behaviors, and workarounds
  • Feels: Emotional states, anxieties, and motivations
  1. Identify goals: What is this user trying to achieve?
  2. Identify pain points: What barriers, frustrations, or unmet needs exist?
  3. Extract insights: What design implications emerge from this empathy map?
  4. Note gaps: What do we still need to learn?
  5. Think step by step. Present the empathy map in a clear, visual-friendly format.

Further Reading

  • Gamestorming — Dave Gray
  • Lean UX — Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden

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