IASA - Stakeholder Empathy Map

Canvas Overview: An empathy map is a collaborative tool used to understand the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of a particular group of people. Stakeholder empathy maps are a variation of this tool that focus on understanding the perspectives of the people who will be impacted by a project or product.

Stakeholder empathy maps can be used by architects to better understand the needs of the people who will be using the buildings or spaces they design. This can help them to create designs that are more functional, user-friendly, and meet the needs of all stakeholders.

How to use this canvas

• Identify your stakeholders. The first step is to identify all of the people who will be impacted by your project. This could include clients, users, employees, regulators, and the community.

• Fill out the map. The stakeholder empathy map is typically divided into four quadrants: See, Hear, Say, and Do. In each quadrant, you should brainstorm what your stakeholders see, hear, say, and do in relation to your project. For example, in the See quadrant, you might list things like the project plans, the construction site, and the finished building. In the Hear quadrant, you might list things like conversations with the architect, presentations about the project, and feedback from the community.

• Analyze the data. Once you have filled out the map, take some time to analyze the data. What are the common themes? What are the key needs and concerns of your stakeholders?

• Use the insights to inform your design. The insights from your stakeholder empathy map can be used to inform your design decisions. For example, if you learn that your stakeholders are concerned about the amount of traffic that the project will generate, you may need to design a plan to mitigate that impact.

About IASA Global: IASA Global is a non-profit association for ALL Technology Architects which was established in 2002.The association is committed to improving the quality of the BT architecture industry by developing and delivering standards, education programs and developing accreditation programs and services that optimize the development of the architecture profession. The IASA network and membership consists of approximately 70,000 people in over 50 countries.

IASA Global has created the world's first and only Business Technology Architecture Body of Knowledge, (BTABoK), which is a free public archive of Business Technology architecture best practices, skills, and knowledge developed from the experience of individual and corporate members of IASA. 

IASA has added templates for over 30 of the most frequently used BTABoK structured canvases into the Miroverse to help accelerate how Technology Architects collaborate on the architecture of the future. Give one a try today, and learn more about IASA at https://iasaglobal.org/.