uw-ssec User Journey Mapping
Map Type Selection
| Type | Use When |
|---|---|
| Journey Map | Optimizing one persona through one specific scenario |
| Experience Map | Entering a new market; understanding category-level behavior outside your product |
| Service Blueprint | Coordinating across teams; surfacing backstage/support processes affecting UX |
Workflow
Step 1 — Define scope. One persona, one scenario (e.g., "New user signs up and completes first project"). Narrow scope produces actionable maps; broad scope produces wallpaper.
Step 2 — Identify 5–7 sequential stages. Each stage = a distinct phase with its own goal. Example: Awareness → Sign-Up → First Use → Configuration → First Value → Routine Use → Expansion.
Step 3 — Fill the stage matrix. For each stage document: Actions, Thoughts, Emotions (1–5), Touchpoints, Pain Points, Opportunities (template below).
Step 4 — Validation checkpoint. Before continuing, verify the map against real data:
- Compare every Action/Thought row against ≥5 user interview transcripts or analytics events.
- Flag any row backed only by team assumption — mark "ASSUMPTION" and schedule research.
- Pass criteria: ≥80% of rows have direct evidence (quote, log event, survey response). If <80%, pause and run targeted research before Step 5.
Step 5 — Plot the emotion curve. Graph 1–5 scores across stages. Identify valleys (likely churn points) and peaks (delight moments).
Step 6 — Prioritize using severity × frequency. Apply the P0–P3 matrix below. Share with product/engineering to align on what ships first.
Stage Matrix Template
| Stage | Awareness | Sign-Up | First Use | Configuration | First Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actions | Reads blog, clicks CTA | Enters email | Opens dashboard | Sets preferences | Completes first task |
| Thoughts | "Does this solve my problem?" | "Worth my time?" | "Where do I start?" | "More setup than expected" | "Oh, this works" |
| Emotions | Curious (3/5) | Hopeful (4/5) | Confused (2/5) | Frustrated (2/5) | Satisfied (4/5) |
| Touchpoints | Blog, landing page | Sign-up form, email | Dashboard, tooltip | Settings, invite flow | Core feature |
| Pain Points | Value prop unclear | Too many fields | No guidance | Wrong defaults | — |
| Opportunities | Clearer headline | Social sign-in | Guided walkthrough | Smart defaults | Celebrate moment |
| Evidence | Interview #2, #4 | Funnel drop 38% | Session replay | Survey Q7 | Activation event |
Emotion Curve Format
5 | * *
4 | * * *
3 | *
2 | * *
1 |
+------------------------------------------
Aware Sign-Up First Config Value Routine
Measure emotion: ask interviewees to rate 1–5 at each stage. Also watch verbal cues (sighs, laughter, hesitation). Aggregate across 5+ users.
Moments of Truth
Flag and design explicitly for:
- First impression — Does the product communicate value within 5 seconds?
- First friction — How does it handle the user's first mistake?
- First value — When does the user achieve what they came for?
- Recovery — When something fails, what happens next?
Pain Point Prioritization
| Priority | Severity | Frequency | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| P0 | High | High | Fix now — users churning |
| P1 | High | Low | Fix soon — catastrophic when hit |
| P2 | Low | High | Improve — constant minor annoyance (quick wins) |
| P3 | Low | Low | Backlog |
Deliverable Checklist
Before sharing the map:
- Persona named and linked to a persona doc
- Scenario stated in one sentence
- 5–7 stages, each with all six rows filled
- Evidence column populated for ≥80% of cells
- Emotion curve drawn
- Top 3 P0/P1 opportunities highlighted with owner and ETA proposed
- Reviewed with 1 user-research lead and 1 PM/engineer
Deep Dive References
- Journey Template — Full canvas, components, formats, presentation tips
- Blueprint Guide — Frontstage/backstage/support layers, digital adaptations
- Touchpoint Patterns — Inventory method, owned/earned/paid, matrix, moment-of-truth identification
Next Steps
- user-research — If the validation checkpoint flagged assumption-heavy stages, run targeted research to fill the gaps.
- information-architecture — Use the journey to inform navigation that matches the user's mental model.