The Empathy section of the Design Thinking process is where the users needs are researched.
Empathy is the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another without having the feelings, thoughts, and/or experiences.
The first step in the design process is to empathize with the target audience, users and others involved with trying to find a solution to a wicked problem. The Empathy Map and Persona graphic below are helpful to identify the depth of the wicked problem and empathize with those affected.
