Why Are Journey Maps Important?
Journey maps are important for multiple reasons. They help find insights that are good for the company and the customers. Through increased customer satisfaction and increased team collaboration, journey maps have a high ROI (return on investment) for the effort. The process of making journey maps and reviewing them itself has a high value for the team. The points below have profound effects on project success. The role of UX is to match users’ needs with business goals, and the journey map plots the route from one to the other.
Wes Hunt
Why are Journey Maps Important for the User?
Journey maps are essential for the user, or customer because they get the most benefit from the insights journey maps enable. The user will be able to reach their goal more naturally and faster. They won’t be as confused or frustrated. The path will not be missing steps, nor will the important steps be hidden. The user will be able to follow a more direct route that matches their mental model of the process. There won’t be extra or unnecessary steps to slow their journey. The user will be able to follow the path quickly and without illogical steps or steps in the wrong order. The company will offer the user more relevant services, and the user will get a better value. All of the interactions the user has with the company will be improved and made more consistent. The information will be correct and consistent throughout the different touchpoints. All in all, the user will have a much better experience.
Why are Journey Maps Important for the Company?
The most value journey maps bring to the company, of course, is to increase business. Journey maps connect the user goals with the business goals; without that connection, the business goals will not be reached. The user has a choice though and may go to a competitor to make that connection. In order to increase business, the company will want to increase customer satisfaction. Customer referrals are the most effective marketing channel a business has, and keeping existing customers is far cheaper than trying to gain new customers. Journey maps are important in keeping your company’s teams aligned with providing the user with the easiest, fastest, and most enjoyable path to their goal. More and more users are looking for a better experience in their business dealings, it is crucial to give them the best, and they will be happy and return. Journey maps help the company focus on its user’s needs, turning them into customers. It is vital to update the organization’s focus from a system-centered view to a more encompassing context of products and services used in the real world. The journey map will show the best places for the company to spend money and resources on the best ROI. One ROI is a faster sales cycle, related to the marketing reasons, a better understanding of the customer journey eliminates sales barriers. The journey map will help the company realize the best way for their users to reach their goal. The quicker the user can reach their goal, the faster the company gets its business.
Why is the Process of Journey Mapping Important?
The process of building the journey maps is important because it helps teams understand more of what their customers are seeing and how they are feeling. When the teams put the maps together, they are seeing and hearing real user stories. Teams need to understand the user, how the user is thinking, and how they feel as the user moves through the journey.
This includes the frustrations as well as delights.
The stakeholders get to see and understand how customers interact with their products visually. Stakeholders will gain insights into places where customers hesitate, get annoyed, or drop out of the product altogether. Good journey maps use a lot of data from user research. It gives you a new point of view of workflows you are used to. While defining each step of the path, it becomes obvious where there are points of struggle, or extra steps, or too much complexity.
Why is the Review of the Journey Map Important?
The journey map itself is a fantastic talking point to share with the company, reviewing the journey shows the paths the customers are taking to reach their goals. They show all of the touchpoints, including current ideal interaction points, as well as some that need a little work. The journey map will remind where all the customer interactions are, whether they be in person, over the phone, or online. All of the teams need to see how the users are using their products. The review and discussion process is essential for everyone to understand how everyone works together to make the entire experience a better one for the customer. The journey map review encourages more collaboration between different groups in the company. User journey maps align the business and create the best user experience.
Conclusion
Journey maps are important throughout the entire product development cycle. First, as a discovery method, then as an alignment tool, and finally as a guide for creating the solution. From showing the user’s path through to helping the user and the company. From the process of making the map to sharing the results with the rest of the company.
Further Reading
- “Mapping Experiences Chapter: Customer Journey Maps” by Jim Kalbach
- “The User’s Journey: Storymapping Products That People Love” by Donna Lichaw
- “User Experience Mapping Chapter: Journey Map – Understand Your Users” by Peter W. Szabo
