Show the User Journeys

22 February 2022

This page is part of The Lean Inception article series

The User Journey describes a sequence of steps a user follows in order to reach a goal. Some of these steps represent points of contact with a product, demonstrating how the user interacts with it. As we build the journey, the team raises questions and alternative opinions about the user's desires and the product's capabilities.

How we do it

  1. Select a persona.
  2. Identify a goal for this persona.
  3. Write the persona and her goal on a post-it and place it on the top left side of a canvas (A3 paper or flipchart is best so it can be moved around).
  4. Decide the starting point (helpful questions: how does the persona starts her day? What triggers the desire for achieving the goal?), write this starting point on a post-it and put it on the canvas.
  5. Describe each following step on a post-it and place it next on the canvas. Continue placing steps until the persona achieves her goal

Here's an example of a User Journey:

Soccer Dude: invite friends for a match

  • wakes up early for work.
  • eats a big breakfast.
  • arrives at work at 9:00 am.
  • during a meeting decides he needs some physical activity.
  • at lunch, talks a friend into playing soccer after work.
  • calls and book a court.
  • opens easy-bola mobile app.
  • register the match for 8:00 pm that evening.
  • fills the information about the court he booked.
  • sends invitation to friends.

The photo shows a lot of users’ journeys in the same table, with lots of people staring at them. The personas and goals (pink post-its) are at the left of the flipchart, and their journeys go from the left to the right (each step in a yellow post-it).

The Lean Inception
morningafternoon
Monday Introduce the inception, kick off, and Write the Product VisionThe product Is – Is not – Does – Does not
TuesdayDescribe the PersonasDiscover the Features
WednesdayTechnical, User eXperience and Business ReviewShow the User Journeys
ThursdayDisplay Features in JourneysSequence the Features
FridayBuild the MVP Canvas Showcase the results of the inception to those interested in the project

This page is an activity of The Lean Inception, for an overview go to the main page.

For more details on how to run a workshop, consult the book.