Atomic Object’s Raleigh office hosted a design thinking workshop for eight local startups from the GRO Incubator at the Center for Entrepreneurial Development. As part of the workshop, we introduced participants to journey mapping. The activity helped them evaluate their product’s end-to-end experience to make an informed decision about their MVP focus.
This was the first time participants created a journey map, and some encountered common challenges when getting started. We can learn from them to better understand how to make a successful journey map. (Unfamiliar with journey maps? I won’t go into detail about creating one but there are many resources available, like this Spin post.)
Multiple users? Start with the hardest.
We asked participants to create their journey map from the perspective of their product’s primary persona. One participant had already created four personas and was unsure which to choose. As we chatted, I learned that one of those personas was a reluctant user resistant to his product. If he could map out a journey and solution for the most challenging use case, that solution would extend to the engaged and excited users.
This approach is often used in UX Design and applies to journey mapping. A notable example is the company OXO. Its founder developed ergonomic kitchen utensils for his wife, who struggled with traditional utensils due to arthritis. These tools, designed for a challenging use case, gained popularity. Solving for complex scenarios can often lead to widespread solutions when journey mapping.
Define scope and focus.
“I wish I had known about this sooner.” Several participants echoed this sentiment. While it’s a flattering statement, it also shows that journey maps can be useful at any stage of the product development process. Sure, founders could have used journey maps earlier, at the start of their companies. However, participants still found value from the activity regardless of their company’s stage.
One participant was in the earliest phase of her company. She used the journey map to brainstorm all the touchpoints for her product for the first time. Another company already had a working prototype, and the owner used the journey map to clarify some parts of his app’s experience. While journey maps are useful throughout the product development process, the key is defining the desired outcomes to effectively scope the journey map and focus on the most critical aspects.
Journey maps aren’t the only solution.
Journey maps are versatile but not always the right tool for every situation. One participant struggled to identify what to map because his product had limited user interactivity. I’ll be honest: I wasn’t entirely sure what to think when we first started chatting. His product is one that contractors install once in a building. It gives an alert if a certain condition arises, and a user interacts infrequently, if at all, with the product.
As we continued chatting, our discussion revealed an opportunity to map out part of the sales process. Although the product is straightforward, its sales and installation processes had implications for the MVP that we wanted to explore. By collaborating, we identified a context where a journey map could add value to his product without forcing the tool where it wasn’t beneficial.
Thanks CED GRO Incubator!
This workshop underscores the versatility and value of journey mapping across various stages of the design process. We’re grateful to the GRO Incubator participants for jumping in and taking quickly to the activity!