Emotional Journey Mapping
The Trap
Evaluating solutions only on whether they fix the functional problem.
The Reframe
Map the emotional path the user is on, and judge solutions by whether they move the user along it.
Steps
- Identify the user's starting emotional state (for example, confusion, anxiety, fear).
- Identify the desired destination emotional state (for example, celebration, excitement).
- Map the intermediate emotional states needed to bridge the gap (for example, building trust).
- Evaluate potential solutions not just on whether they solve the functional problem, but on whether they move the user through that emotional path.
Why It Works
It becomes the lens for judging both what you communicate and how you communicate it, not just what gets built.
Where the Inputs Come From
The starting emotional state usually comes out of Persona-Based Empathy Research. If you want to map the journey across a group of stakeholders instead of one persona, see Collaborative Customer Journey Mapping.