What is Journey Mapping?
The most basic definition of journey mapping is a depiction of interaction points along a process or product use.
Depending on the scope of the journey being explored, there may be just one diagram, or several in series. For some maps, there may even be a zoomed out view of a process (Raw materials go to manufacturing go to distribution centers go to the stores go to the customers) followed by magnified views of each zoomed out step (For Manufacturing: raw materials go in a tumbler, water is added, tumblers are emptied into bins, bins are transported to conveyor belt, etc.).
In the case of the examples above, the zoomed out journey map might benefit from being in the form of a timeline with symbols fort each highlighted part of the process. For the zoomed in journey map, it would likely be a map of the manufacturing floor with arrows between each station highlighted. But while there is no rule to how the map is made, keep in mind it is highly recommended that it is made in a way that is visual.
Once a journey map is made, it is most often used in conjunction with personas.
Personas are walked though the journey map by the user experience design team. Assumptions of behavior are joined with predictions as the persona visits each step on the map. It can be helpful to think of this as a brainstorming exercise; the design team should freely toss out ideas of how the given persona would behave at each stage, pain points the persona might come across, and the persona’s cumulative attitude towards the experience. In a smaller group, one team member might record the input. In larger groups, it can be helpful to put a large version of the journey map on a table or wall, and have each group member add sticky notes with their comments, observations, and questions at each station. Each persona can have a unique sticky note color.
At the end of walking the persona through the journey map, it is crucial to immediately capture any takeaways from the simulation. Keep in mind that journey mapping is about the exploration of ideas and methods. Editing the process being assessed or other alterations to the process should be done after in order to maximize creativity and focus.
Depending on the scope of the journey being explored, there may be just one diagram, or several in series. For some maps, there may even be a zoomed out view of a process (Raw materials go to manufacturing go to distribution centers go to the stores go to the customers) followed by magnified views of each zoomed out step (For Manufacturing: raw materials go in a tumbler, water is added, tumblers are emptied into bins, bins are transported to conveyor belt, etc.).
In the case of the examples above, the zoomed out journey map might benefit from being in the form of a timeline with symbols fort each highlighted part of the process. For the zoomed in journey map, it would likely be a map of the manufacturing floor with arrows between each station highlighted. But while there is no rule to how the map is made, keep in mind it is highly recommended that it is made in a way that is visual.
Once a journey map is made, it is most often used in conjunction with personas.
Personas are walked though the journey map by the user experience design team. Assumptions of behavior are joined with predictions as the persona visits each step on the map. It can be helpful to think of this as a brainstorming exercise; the design team should freely toss out ideas of how the given persona would behave at each stage, pain points the persona might come across, and the persona’s cumulative attitude towards the experience. In a smaller group, one team member might record the input. In larger groups, it can be helpful to put a large version of the journey map on a table or wall, and have each group member add sticky notes with their comments, observations, and questions at each station. Each persona can have a unique sticky note color.
At the end of walking the persona through the journey map, it is crucial to immediately capture any takeaways from the simulation. Keep in mind that journey mapping is about the exploration of ideas and methods. Editing the process being assessed or other alterations to the process should be done after in order to maximize creativity and focus.