The journey map is not the deliverable. The three things you fix because of it are.
It is every step a customer takes with you, drawn out in order, with the bad moments marked. A good one fits on a wall and makes the next three fixes obvious.
What goes on a journey map?
- The steps. Find you, compare, call or click, buy, wait, receive, get help, come back.
- What they do and use at each step. The website, the phone, the store, the email.
- How it feels. Where they are confident, confused, or annoyed.
- The problems. Waits, repeat questions, dead ends, and surprises.
How do I make one in a day?
Pick one kind of customer and one path. Put the people who serve that customer in a room. Walk the path step by step on a wall, using real examples, including the bad days. Mark the worst three moments. Decide what to fix first and who owns it.
What is the difference between a journey map and a service blueprint?
A journey map shows the customer's side. A service blueprint adds what happens behind the scenes at each step: the staff, the systems, the handoffs. Start with the journey map. Add the blueprint when the problems turn out to live backstage.
Should I talk to customers first?
If you can, yes. Even three short calls will correct what the team assumes. If you cannot, map it with the staff first and check it with customers after.
Answered by Jared Lukes, Minneapolis. Twenty-five years in brand, UX, and technology, currently holding fractional AI and technology seats at three companies. About Jared.