Empathy Map logo

Empathy Map

CommunityPopular
Owl-Listener
empathy-map

Build a Says, Thinks, Does, Feels map for one user or segment. Use when sharing user understanding quickly. For a composite archetype with goals and behaviours use `user-persona`; for cross-session themes use `affinity-diagram`.

Overview

PublisherOwl-Listener
Repositorydesigner-skills
Skill nameempathy-map
Stars
2.7K
Forks
384
Bundled files
Instructions only
LicenseMIT
Links
Skill sourceRepository
  • Markdown instructions

    A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.

  • Works with any LLM

    AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.

  • Self-contained

    Everything the model needs lives in the instructions — no extra files to sync.

  • Open source

    Published by Owl-Listener on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Empathy Map AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

1

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

  1. Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
  2. Choose "Install from GitHub".
  3. Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
  4. Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.
Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.
2

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Owl-Listener/designer-skills.git /tmp/designer-skills
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/designer-skills/design-research/skills/empathy-map .claude/skills/empathy-map
Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Empathy Map in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Empathy Map on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Empathy Map is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

  • Loaded only when it is needed

    The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.

  • Switch models mid-chat

    Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

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

Frequently asked questions

What does the Empathy Map AI skill do?

Build a Says, Thinks, Does, Feels map for one user or segment. Use when sharing user understanding quickly. For a composite archetype with goals and behaviours use `user-persona`; for cross-session themes use `affinity-diagram`.

Why use Empathy Map on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Empathy Map is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Empathy Map in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/Owl-Listener/designer-skills/tree/main/design-research/skills/empathy-map. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Empathy Map?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Empathy Map?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Empathy Map with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Empathy Map AI skill free?

Yes. It is published on GitHub by Owl-Listener under the MIT license. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

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