How to Use ClickUp Empathy Maps Step by Step

Empathy maps in ClickUp help teams understand what customers feel, think, say, and do so you can build better products, marketing, and services. This how-to guide walks you through creating and using empathy maps effectively, based strictly on the original empathy map templates resource.

What Is an Empathy Map in ClickUp?

An empathy map is a simple visual framework that captures your customer or user’s experience. It brings together research insights into one shared space your team can reference inside ClickUp or alongside it.

Typical empathy map sections include:

• Says: Direct quotes or statements from users
• Thinks: Thoughts, beliefs, or assumptions they hold
• Does: Actions and behaviors you observe
• Feels: Emotions, pains, and motivations
• Pains: Frustrations and obstacles
• Gains: Needs, desires, and success outcomes

Using a template based on the original ClickUp empathy map article lets you standardize this process across projects.

Why Build Empathy Maps with ClickUp

When you base your empathy mapping workflow around ClickUp and the original template structure, your team gains several benefits:

• Shared understanding: Everyone sees the same view of the customer.
• Faster research synthesis: Notes and interviews turn into a clear profile.
• Better decisions: Roadmaps and tasks reflect real user needs.
• Aligned messaging: Marketing, product, and support speak the same language.

The original empathy map templates article emphasizes that this exercise is particularly powerful early in discovery, strategy, and design phases.

Prepare to Build Your ClickUp Empathy Map

Before you create your empathy map, gather the right inputs so the final result stays accurate and unbiased.

1. Collect User Research Data

Use the structure outlined in the empathy map templates resource to assemble raw insights from:

• User interviews and discovery calls
• Surveys and feedback forms
• Support tickets and chat transcripts
• Usability testing recordings
• Product reviews and social media posts

Pull out representative quotes, repeated complaints, and common behaviors that match the empathy map sections.

2. Define a Clear Target User

Empathy maps work best when you focus on one type of user at a time. From the guidance in the source article, define:

• Who they are (role, company type, or segment)
• What they are trying to accomplish
• Where they are in your customer journey

Document this target user at the top of your empathy map so everyone stays aligned.

How to Create an Empathy Map Inspired by ClickUp Templates

Use this process to build your own empathy map following the structure of the official template content.

Step 1: Set Up the Empathy Map Layout

Recreate the standard sections described in the empathy map templates guide:

1. Draw or configure a large rectangle divided into quadrants.
2. Label quadrants with Says, Thinks, Does, and Feels.
3. Add separate areas for Pains and Gains (for example, at the bottom).
4. Write your target user or persona name at the center.

This consistent layout makes it easy for teams to scan and compare maps across projects.

Step 2: Fill the “Says” Section

Using the principles from the original ClickUp article, start with actual user quotes:

• Copy short, verbatim lines from interviews or calls.
• Capture what users literally say about their problems and goals.
• Avoid paraphrasing; keep their voice and wording.

Each quote should answer questions like “What do they say about this product, task, or situation?”

Step 3: Capture What the User “Thinks”

Next, document thoughts and beliefs that might not be spoken directly.

• Infer from behavior and context, not guesswork.
• Include assumptions, expectations, or worries.
• Highlight gaps between what they say and what they think.

The empathy map templates explain that this contrast reveals hidden objections and motivations.

Step 4: Document What the User “Does”

Now focus on observable behavior:

• List the steps users take to complete tasks.
• Note workarounds, hacks, or manual processes.
• Capture tools and channels they use today.

This section should be grounded in what you have actually seen in recordings, analytics, or field observation.

Step 5: Describe What the User “Feels”

Turn to the emotional side of the experience:

• Summarize key emotions like frustration, confusion, or relief.
• Connect emotions to specific moments in their workflow.
• Highlight both negative and positive feelings.

According to the source article, pairing emotions with actions helps you prioritize problems that carry the highest emotional weight.

Step 6: Map Pains and Gains

Finally, complete the lower parts of your empathy map with:

• Pains: Barriers, risks, and recurring issues that block success.
• Gains: Outcomes that would make them feel successful or delighted.

The original empathy map templates emphasize clarity here. Pains and gains become direct inputs for product features, content, and support improvements.

How to Use Your ClickUp-Style Empathy Map

Once your empathy map is complete, put it to work so it drives practical decisions instead of becoming a static document.

Align Stakeholders Around Customers

Use your empathy map in planning sessions to:

• Introduce new team members to the customer reality.
• Re-center discussions on actual problems instead of opinions.
• Resolve disagreements using evidence from the map.

When every department can reference the same map, strategy becomes more consistent.

Translate Insights into Roadmaps and Tasks

Your empathy map should directly inform your backlog and roadmap. You can:

• Turn pains into problem statements and feature ideas.
• Use gains to shape success metrics and value propositions.
• Derive content topics from common questions and objections.

Review the map whenever you prioritize work so you stay anchored to the user’s reality.

Refine Personas and Journey Maps

The empathy map templates highlight that this exercise also strengthens other UX tools. Use the outputs to:

• Update or validate your personas.
• Add emotional highs and lows to your journey maps.
• Adjust targeting and messaging in marketing campaigns.

Over time, your empathy map becomes a living reference that evolves with your understanding of users.

Best Practices from the ClickUp Empathy Map Guide

Based on the original template resource, keep these guidelines in mind:

• Use real data: Build maps from research, not assumptions.
• Collaborate live: Involve product, design, marketing, and support.
• Stay focused: One empathy map per distinct user type.
• Keep it concise: Short notes are easier to scan and remember.
• Revisit regularly: Update after major research rounds or launches.

If you want help turning empathy maps into full strategies, user journeys, and SEO-focused content, agencies like Consultevo specialize in connecting research insights to execution.

Next Steps

Using the structure and recommendations from the official empathy map templates article, you now have a repeatable process to understand customers deeply and align your team around their needs. Start with one priority user, walk through each section carefully, and keep refining your empathy map as new research comes in.

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