Inside a Student’s Mind: The Book Swap Experience

 

EMPATHY MAP

This image shows an empathy map for users of a book swap or second-hand textbook marketplace, likely for UUM students. An empathy map is a visualization tool used in design thinking to gain deeper insight into users by exploring different aspects of their experience.

Core Components of the Empathy Map

Central Focus

• The map places the user (represented by a silhouette) at the center, with six key sections radiating outward to capture different aspects of the user experience.

THINK Section (Left, Light Green)

• Key thoughts:
  • "Are the books in good condition?"
  • "Can I trust this seller/buyer?"
  • "Why buy new if I can get it cheaper second-hand?"
  • "I want to save money on textbooks and still get good quality."
• This section captures the rational considerations and questions users have during the book swap process.

DOES Section (Top, Light Blue)

• Key behaviors:
  • "Sends messages to negotiate prices or ask about book condition."
  • "Prefers cash-on-delivery or meeting in person on campus."
  • "Checks seller ratings and reviews."
• This section documents observable actions users take when participating in book exchanges.

FEELS Section (Right, Light Yellow)

• Emotional states:
  • "Motivation: Feels inspired to sell unwanted books in order to declutter."
  • "Financial pressure: Feels stressed about the cost of textbooks and living expenses."
  • "Relief: Feels happy and relieved when they find a cheap, good-quality book."
• This captures the emotional dimension of the user experience, highlighting both pain points and positive feelings.

SAY Section (Bottom, Light Purple)

• Direct quotes:
  • "I can't afford this book from the campus bookstore."
  • "I'm selling my books after this semester."
  • "I found the book I want for half the price."
• These represent actual statements from user research, providing authentic voice to the user experience.

PAIN Section (Bottom Left, Light Red)

• Pain points:
  • "Delays in seller/buyer responses."
  • "Limited availability of books for specific programs."
• This identifies key frustrations and challenges users face when trying to buy or sell books.

GAIN Section (Bottom Right, Light Blue)

• Benefits:
  • "Saves money compared to buying new textbooks."
  • "Opportunity to earn back some money by selling books."
• This highlights the value and benefits users hope to gain from participating in book swaps.

Significance in the Design Process

This empathy map appears to be part of the "Define" phase in the design thinking process for the Book Swap project shown in the previous Gantt chart. It helps the project team:

1. Develop a shared understanding of user needs and perspectives
2. Identify key pain points to address in their solution
3. Recognize emotional drivers that might influence user behavior
4. Align the team around genuine user insights rather than assumptions
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

   Time (min:sec)	Evidence
   1:32	"Finding the right person who actually wants the book is tricky sometimes..." → "Finding the right person to buy the book"
   2:00	"Sometimes people say they want the book, then they just disappear and ghost you..." → "They want the book, but then disappear"
   2:30	"A Book Swap app would feel more organized, less messy than WhatsApp or Facebook groups." → "Book swap app will feel more organized"

   
   
   
   

   Time (min:sec)	Evidence
   1:06	"The hard part is finding someone who actually has the exact book I need, and checking the condition..." → "Find someone that has book I want, book condition"
   1:17	"Sometimes people agree to sell, but then they ghost you and disappear." → "Seller ghosting"
   2:35	"I would really want the app to be safe and trusted, like only for real students. No scamming." → "Safe and trusted, secure, no scamming"