Customer Journey Mapping

A customer journey map, also called an experience diagram, shows your service from the user’s point of view.

It lays out the steps they take, what they’re trying to do, how they feel along the way, and where things go well—or don’t. It helps teams see the full experience, not just isolated moments, and find where to improve.

The best maps are grounded in real stories and user input. Customer journey maps are a strong tool for building empathy and improving services.

Best Practices

Get the full picture. Don’t rely on just one source—use interviews, notes, and observations to cross-check what you learn.

Test your map. Share it with real users to make sure it matches their experience.

Aim for better, not just fixes. Look beyond quick wins to improve the whole experience.

Basic Steps

1. Choose whose experience to map. Focus on a resident, patient, client, or customer you want to understand.

2. Define the scope. Pick a key experience or task that matters or often causes issues.

3. Use real data. Base your map on interviews, observations, or usability tests.

4. Map out the journey. Show steps, interactions, people, and feelings—highlight what works and what doesn’t.

5. Look for insights. Use the map to find pain points and opportunities, then share it to guide improvements.

Benefits

• Builds shared understanding and aligns teams around the customer’s real experience
• Exposes experience gaps to show where service design and reality don’t match
• Guides priorities and helps focus improvements where they’ll have the most impact
• Strengthens advocacy and makes it easier to share user needs with interested parties