Empathy Map: What Users Hear, See, Think, and Feel

Pain Points

• Complex Navigation & Overwhelming Interface
  Quote: “There’s too much happening on the home screen; I just want to browse!”
• Inconsistent Search Experience
  Quote: “I wish I could filter searches better to find exactly what I need.”
• Frustrating Ad Experience
  Quote: “There are too many ads disguised as organic pins!”
• Slow Load Times & Performance Issues
  Quote: “The app lags, especially when scrolling through pins quickly.”
• Limited Collaboration Features
  Quote: “Collaboration tools feel basic compared to other apps.”

Gains

• Cross-Platform Accessibility: Consistent experience across devices.
• Visually Engaging: Pinterest excels in delivering an immersive experience.
• Personalized Recommendations: AI-driven suggestions keep users engaged.
• Seamless Pin Saving: Easy to organize and categorize content.

Appendix

Summary/Synthesis of Materials in Syllabus

• Empathy Mapping: The First Step in Design Thinking: Empathy maps visually present user insights, breaking them into quadrants (hear, see, think, feel) to capture interactions and experiences. They help teams develop a shared understanding of user pain points and desires, using qualitative research data for synthesis.
• Empathy Mapping: A Guide to Getting Inside a User’s Head: A collaborative tool that enables teams to gain deeper insights into user behaviors and attitudes. By visually capturing what users say, think, do, and feel, teams can refine design strategies, create personas, and establish a user-centric approach.
• Thinking Aloud: The #1 Usability Tool: A usability testing method where users verbalize thoughts while interacting with a system. This approach provides direct insight into user perceptions, identifying usability issues cost-effectively. However, it has limitations, such as influencing natural behavior and missing implicit usability concerns.

User Interview Questions

• How often do you use Pinterest, and for what purposes?
• What aspects of Pinterest do you find most useful?
• What challenges do you face while navigating the app?
• How do you feel about the search functionality? Is it easy to find relevant content?
• How do you feel about the ad experience in Pinterest?
• What would you like to improve in Pinterest’s collaboration features?
• How does Pinterest compare to similar apps you use?

Conclusion

Despite its strengths, Pinterest can benefit from UX improvements to navigation, search functionality, ad transparency, performance, and collaboration tools. Addressing these pain points will enhance user satisfaction, retention, and engagement, making Pinterest an even more powerful platform for discovery and creativity.