Stages, steps, and lanes

The structure of a journey map

In general, journey maps are illustrated in the form of a matrix:

• columns visualize the experiences over time
• rows show details of each experience

Cards

You can fill the matrix with different types of cards, for example:

• stages
• channels
• emotions
• images
• text
• opportunities

You can flexibly add cards to the matrix, expand them horizontally or vertically and move them around on the matrix.

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→ Tip: Use color coding in step titles to indicate to what degree the information in this card is data-backed already. For example red for “no data”, yellow for “partly data-backed”, and green for “fully research-based”. Use the journey map info section to describe each color’s meaning. 

Branching and looping

Branching helps you to show non-linear flows of journeys.

Lanes: adding rich details 

To better understand a specific experience, you can add details to each of them. For example: 

• Detailed descriptions of the situation; you can also use description fields to note down pain points, ideas, comments, and anything else that can be communicated through text.
• Emotions to visualize the satisfaction of the customer in each moment
• Channels of communication to see how customers get information 
• Dramatic arc to understand the importance of an experience
• Images to make situations easier to grasp
• KPIs, backstage processes, research data – feel free to add/link any information that you find relevant. 

→ Tip: Don’t flood your maps with all the data you have but only pick relevant insights. If you feed/add all of what you go without first reviewing whether the data is relevant to a specific step, this data overload might overwhelm people. 

Creating a journey map hierarchy

The target should be for a maximum of 20 steps/experiences per journey map. If you’re about to exceed that number, rather consider creating sub-journeys and connecting them in a journey map hierarchy.

Learn more about journey map hierarchies

Creating service blueprints

A service blueprint helps you understand all the organizational processes needed to provide a specific experience.

Collaborate, online and offline

Invite your colleagues or clients to collaborate on the map.