Purpose
Guide the creation of user journey maps that visualize the complete experience of a user interacting with a service, identifying pain points and opportunities for improvement.
Preconditions
- •User persona is defined or can be inferred from research
- •The service or process to map exists (current state) or is being designed (future state)
- •Access to user research, analytics, or subject matter experts for validation
Steps
1. Define the journey scope
Establish clear boundaries for the map:
| Element | Question to Answer |
|---|---|
| Persona | Who is this journey for? Be specific about their context and needs |
| Scenario | What situation triggers this journey? |
| Goal | What outcome is the user trying to achieve? |
| Starting point | Where does the journey begin? (First awareness, trigger event) |
| Ending point | Where does it end? (Goal achieved, service concluded) |
Government context considerations:
- •Is this a mandatory interaction (taxes, licensing) or voluntary (benefits enrollment)?
- •What is the user's familiarity with government processes?
- •Are there legal deadlines or time constraints?
2. Identify journey phases
Break the journey into logical phases. Common government service phases:
| Phase | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Awareness | User learns they need or can access the service | Sees eligibility notice |
| Research | User gathers information about requirements | Reads FAQ, calls helpline |
| Preparation | User collects necessary documents/information | Gathers ID, proof of income |
| Application | User submits request or completes transaction | Fills out online form |
| Processing | Service processes the request (often invisible to user) | Agency reviews application |
| Resolution | User receives outcome and any follow-up | Gets approval letter |
| Ongoing | Continued interaction if applicable | Annual renewals |
Adapt phases to your specific service. Aim for 4-7 phases.
3. Map touchpoints and channels
For each phase, document how the user interacts with the service:
markdown
### Phase: [Phase Name] **Touchpoints:** - [Specific interaction point, e.g., "Homepage eligibility screener"] - [Another touchpoint] **Channels:** - [ ] Web (desktop) - [ ] Web (mobile) - [ ] Phone/call center - [ ] In-person (field office) - [ ] Mail/paper - [ ] Email - [ ] SMS/text - [ ] Mobile app **User actions:** - [What the user does in this phase] **System/staff actions:** - [What happens behind the scenes]
4. Capture the emotional journey
Document the user's emotional state at each phase:
| Indicator | Positive | Neutral | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emotion | Confident, relieved | Uncertain, waiting | Frustrated, anxious |
| Thinking | "This is straightforward" | "I hope I did this right" | "Why is this so hard?" |
| Pain level | Low friction | Moderate effort | High friction |
Use a simple scale or emoji notation:
- •😊 Positive experience
- •😐 Neutral experience
- •😟 Negative experience / pain point
5. Identify pain points
Document friction, frustration, and failure points:
markdown
## Pain Points ### Phase: [Phase Name] | Pain Point | Severity | Evidence | |------------|----------|----------| | [Description of the problem] | High/Medium/Low | [Research finding, analytics, quote] |
Common government service pain points:
- •Jargon and complex language
- •Unclear eligibility requirements
- •Document gathering burden
- •Long wait times (processing, phone queues)
- •Status uncertainty ("Where is my application?")
- •Channel switching required (start online, must visit in-person)
- •Accessibility barriers
- •Authentication friction (login.gov, ID verification)
6. Surface opportunities
For each pain point, identify potential improvements:
markdown
## Opportunities ### Phase: [Phase Name] | Opportunity | Addresses Pain Point | Effort | Impact | |-------------|---------------------|--------|--------| | [Improvement idea] | [Related pain point] | High/Medium/Low | High/Medium/Low |
Opportunity categories:
- •Quick wins - Low effort, high impact
- •Strategic investments - High effort, high impact
- •Fill-ins - Low effort, low impact (do if easy)
- •Deprioritize - High effort, low impact (avoid)
7. Validate and refine
Before finalizing:
- • Review with users or user researchers
- • Cross-check with analytics data
- • Validate with frontline staff (call center, field office)
- • Identify gaps in knowledge (mark with "needs research")
8. Format the journey map
Create a visual or structured representation:
Text-based format (for markdown/docs):
markdown
# Journey Map: [Persona] - [Goal] ## Overview - **Persona:** [Name/description] - **Scenario:** [Trigger situation] - **Goal:** [Desired outcome] - **Scope:** [Start] → [End] ## Journey Phases | Phase | Touchpoints | Actions | Emotions | Pain Points | Opportunities | |-------|-------------|---------|----------|-------------|---------------| | Awareness | ... | ... | 😐 | ... | ... | | Research | ... | ... | 😟 | ... | ... | | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ## Key Insights 1. [Insight 1] 2. [Insight 2] ## Priority Opportunities 1. [Top opportunity] 2. [Second priority]
Completion Criteria
- • Persona and goal clearly defined
- • 4-7 journey phases identified
- • Touchpoints and channels documented for each phase
- • Emotional journey captured with evidence
- • At least 3 pain points identified with severity
- • Opportunities mapped to pain points
- • Validated with research data or stakeholders
Examples
Example: Journey Map Summary Table
markdown
# Journey Map: Maria (First-time Benefits Applicant) - Apply for Food Assistance | Phase | Touchpoints | Emotions | Key Pain Points | Opportunities | |-------|-------------|----------|-----------------|---------------| | Awareness | Friend referral, web search | 😐 Uncertain | Didn't know she qualified | Proactive outreach | | Research | Agency website, FAQ | 😟 Overwhelmed | Jargon, unclear requirements | Plain language rewrite | | Preparation | Document checklist | 😟 Anxious | Many documents needed | Document upload guidance | | Application | Online form | 😐 → 😟 | Form timeout, lost progress | Auto-save, progress bar | | Processing | Status portal, email | 😟 Waiting | No status updates for 2 weeks | Proactive notifications | | Resolution | Approval letter, EBT card | 😊 Relieved | Mailed card took 10 days | Digital card option |