Emotion Mapping

Emotion mapping is a technique used in product management to understand how users feel at different stages of their journey with a product or service. It involves creating a visual representation of the emotions that users experience at each step of their journey. This can include positive emotions such as delight or satisfaction, as well as negative emotions such as frustration or confusion. Emotion mapping can be used to identify areas of the user experience that may be causing negative emotions and to design solutions to improve those areas.

Implementation

There are several steps involved in implementing an emotion map:

Identify the user journey: The first step is to understand the different stages of the user journey and the actions that users take at each stage. This can be done through user research, such as conducting interviews, surveys, or user testing.
Gather data: Step 2 involves gathering data on the emotions that users experience at each stage. Again, this information can be obtained through user research.
Analyze the data: Once you have gathered the data, the next step is to analyze it and look for patterns and trends. Focus on areas where users experience both negative and positive emotions.
Create the map: Using the information gathered and analyzed, create a visual representation of the emotions experienced by users at each stage of their journey. This can be done using tools such as a spreadsheet, a whiteboard, or specialized software like Figma or Miro.
Share and discuss the map: Share the emotion map with the relevant stakeholders and discuss the findings. This can help teams align on a common understanding of the user’s perspective and emotions and identify areas for improvement.
Implement solutions: Based on the findings from the emotion map, implement solutions to improve the areas of the user experience that are causing negative emotions. This can include redesigning certain features, adding new functionality, or changing the overall user experience.
Validate the solutions: Finally, validate the solutions by conducting user research, such as user testing or surveys, to ensure that they have improved the user experience and reduced negative emotions.

Benefits

Find pain points

Identify areas of the user experience that may be causing negative emotions and design solutions to improve those areas.

Informed research

By using a framework to conduct research and analyze findings, your user research will be informed.

Emotional impact

Emotion mapping helps you understand the emotional impact of your design decisions and creates opportunities to make improvements to your product.

Example

An example of an emotion map could be a visual representation of the emotions that a user experiences when booking a flight online. The map might include the following stages of the user journey:

Searching for flights: The user may experience excitement and anticipation as they search for flights.
Comparing flights: The user may experience confusion or frustration as they compare different flight options.
Selecting a flight: The user may experience satisfaction or delight as they select a flight that meets their needs.
Entering personal information: The user may experience anxiety or frustration as they enter personal information, such as their name and contact information.
Confirming the booking: The user may experience a sense of accomplishment or satisfaction as they confirm their booking.
Receiving a confirmation email: The user may experience reassurance or peace of mind as they receive a confirmation email.

The map can be created using a variety of techniques, like a flowchart, or a timeline, or a storyboard, where each stage of the user journey is represented by a different shape or color, and the emotions experienced by the user are represented by different symbols or labels.

This example is a very simplified version of a emotion map, but it illustrates how the technique can be used to visually represent the emotions that users experience at different stages of their journey with a product or service.

Summary

Emotion mapping is a great way to identify areas of the user experience that need improvement, and it also helps teams understand the user’s perspective, empathize with their emotions, and design solutions that provide a more satisfying and delightful experience. This can ultimately lead to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty and retention.

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