Experience Mapping
Experience mapping helps you see the user’s journey as a whole, not just what they do, but also what they feel, expect, and struggle with along the way. As a creative technologist, this gives you insight into where your system fits into people’s lives and where the biggest opportunities or risks are.
An experience map is a visual tool that shows steps, touchpoints, emotions, and pain points. It helps you align design and technical decisions with real user needs across time.
Starting Point
- Choose a user scenario: what is the person trying to do? For example: ordering food, setting up a device, navigating a space.
- Map the journey step by step. What does the user do, think, feel, and expect at each moment?
- Use tools like: Miro Customer Journey Map Template
Key Points
- Capture both actions and emotions. What feels confusing, frustrating, joyful?
- Include before and after the interaction with your system. Often, the real problems start or end elsewhere.
- Use real user data (from interviews or tests) to make your map grounded in reality.
- Identify key pain points or opportunity zones that can guide your design or technical focus.