Blog Post #1: Empathy Map

"Megan, you're so old," is a constant remark from my youngest brother J. In fairness, I turn twenty-five this week. It seems really old when you’re a teenager – I’m five and a half years older than J. We haven’t lived in the same city since I graduated high school in 2007, but we decided to be roommates this year. It’s my final year of my master’s degree, and it’s his first year as an undergraduate transfer student. We felt that our age gap, in addition to our different personalities, would allow us to have a better relationship while still being able to lead separate. Regardless of what happens this year, we agreed to always have a love and respect for each other. It’s the perfect roommate situation, right?

Sometimes, I wish I knew what J was thinking. How do you delve into the mindset of a nineteen-year-old boy? So, I thought he is the perfect person for me to analyze when creating a persona. I included an empathy map representative of J at the end of this post. First, his profile will be revealed point by point. 

1. What does he think and feel?

J aspires to be a high achiever. He has always wanted to be a University of Texas graduate because our father completed his undergrad and MBA here. J believes in tradition.  He often wonders what he should do to do well in school.  He worked extremely hard the last year in order to transfer this year to UT from the CAP program. He reflects on this time, and feels happy to be in Austin. J is a very goal oriented person. Aside from school, he is a sports fanatic. He analyzes sports teams (Rockets and Texans specifically), and knows about all the players and game statistics. He feels very passionate and attached to his teams. He is known to wear jerseys, wigs and face paint to the games.  J is very active, and enjoys running and playing tennis. J is also really into current apps. He plays Candy Crush constantly, and is competitive with his friends as to who is at a higher level. J definitely wants to stay current with the trends.

2. What does he see?

J is influenced by what his friends think. He sees what his friends wear, how his friends talk, and the beliefs that they have. He aligns himself with friends from different backgrounds, but all seem to relate by having the same good morals. He trusts their opinions on products, classes to take and restaurants to eat at. J tries to see the best in people. He also sees things through the technological devices he owns, and he is a loyal Apple user. J’s iPhone, iPod, iPad and Macbook all provide entertainment and a source for finding information. The types of offers that J sees in the market is through the mediums he uses. Through the sports apps he uses, he sees mobile ads for sports related products and tickets.

 

3. What does he say and do?

J never looks sloppy. He might wear athletics gear to workout or to be comfortable, but he dresses very preppy going to class or social events. He has good hygiene, and has no piercings or tattoos. He is far from self absorbed, and goes out of his way to help people. For example, it was raining at school last week. J immediately called me to offer a ride home, so I wouldn’t have to take the bus in the rain. J is respectful of everyone, and values opinions different than his own. He is very accepting of other people, and appreciated living with two roommates last year that came from different background.  J is not only loyal to his friends, but is a brand loyal consumer. He demonstrates his love for Nike products through his clothing; his drink of choice is a Dr. Pepper and only uses Old Spice products.  J is also very honest if you ask for his advice.  He is the type of consumer that writes a negative review if he is unhappy with a product.

 

4. What does he hear?

J hears ESPN new all the time. He streams it on his phone, and has it on the TV whenever he can. He also listens to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report as a funny way to get the news. J is influenced mostly by his peers, and values what his friends have to say. He trusts their advice on what is “cool.”  His friends also shape J’s opinion on what are the latest greatest products, and where the fun places are to hang out. Social media influences him if it’s through the voice of his immediate friends. J doesn’t like to admit his family influences his decisions, but they also play a role in the products he purchases and the way he lives his life.

 

5. What are his pain points?

J’s biggest frustrations are currently school related. He was frustrated to have to start his college degree at a UT CAP school, but learned that his hard work paid off. It was a pain point to give up on playing a college sport in order to focus on his academics. He was able to make a 4.0, but still reflects on what his year could have been like as a college athlete. Now that he’s at UT, he’s worried about making good grades. He is still trying to figure out what he wants to do with his degree, and what career he wants upon graduating. J does not want to struggle finding a job, and wants to have a marketable degree. On a consumer level, J likes using products that he’s familiar with and sometimes fears trying new things. He is debating if he wants to study abroad during college, and he fears his Spanish skills aren’t sufficient enough to spend a semester Spain. J has a fear of failure.

 

6. What does he hope to gain?

 

 

J wants to gain a good education to set him up for future success. His G.P.A. is very important to him because he sees it as a measurement of his hard work. He is a goal-oriented person, and hopes to gain validation that his efforts were worth it. He wants the approval of others, and J hopes to get recognition for his hard work. J appreciates technology (such as his MacBook and iPhone) that make his life more easier. Ultimately, J hopes to gain respect from people. J wants to make a positive difference in the world, and always works towards self-improvement.