Digital Health Co-Design
Empathy Mapping
Empathy Mapping
Empathy mapping is a collaborative method used to visualise what users say, think, feel, and do in a given context. In co-design studies, it is often applied in the Discover phase to uncover hidden needs and emotions, helping teams build a deeper understanding of users’ lived experiences.
Application Example
In a study exploring how Virtual Reality (VR) could be used to reduce loneliness among older adults, researchers organised a Discovery workshop with expert stakeholders from academia and third sector organisations. Among several co-design activities, empathy mapping was used to capture the thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and needs of older adults experiencing loneliness. This exercise helped participants step into the users’ perspective, making hidden emotional and social needs more visible. Insights from the empathy maps emphasised the importance of designing VR services not just for passive consumption, but around meaningful group activities and personalised avatars. (Finnegan et al., 2023)