Playbook for universal design

Universal design methods for more inclusive solutions

Journey map Add/remove

Purpose:

The purpose is to map out a persona’s journey by narrowing it down to single steps. By creating a journey map one can analyze the experience of different personas along every step of the journey. Once the steps of the journey have been completed, the steps are categorized to gain an overview of a given situation and emotional stages are added.

Step by step Facilitating tips Materials needed Download template (pdf)

Tips to include participants who are not able to:

See

If the participants are blind or can not read, the template could be read out loud although it can be difficult to keep track of steps if the participants have to memorize them all. If so make sure to frame a situation that does not require many steps. The more steps the participant has to memorise the more complex it gets.

Think

If the participant can not write or spell they could say the steps out loud and the facilitator could write the post-it. If this is the case, the facilitator would need a co-facilitator for each group as the facilitator can not be with all groups at the same time. The co-facilitator would have to go through the steps chronically many times to ensure that the step follows the mind set of the participants.

Move

If the participant can not control movements the method could be read out loud and instead of writing down ideas a helper, documenter or the facilitator could write down what is being said.

Hold

If the participant can not hold on to a pen the same advice as for move could be given.

Speak

If the participant can not speak sign language or other symbol language could be used.

Hear

A translator can be used for presentation, or a written explanation can be read by a fellow participant. If a translator is not present make sure all ideas have a written explanation.

Focus

Depending on the ability being limited according to not being able to focus because of distractions or because of time crunch - either reduce time spent or increase the time spent for brainstorming.

Belong

If you see that one participant is not comfortable in the group you could try and switch up the group. If a participant is uncomfortable it can stop their creativity.

Overview

Input

Persona, interview or some sort of communication with the user should have been made prior to this method.

Output

Visual representation that provides a deeper understanding of the persona and detailed insight of each step performed by the persona in a given situation.

Complexity

Moderate - complex

Time

35 minutes - Depends on the amount of personas given to each group.

Participants

Activity

  • Put yourself in the personas place
  • Relate to the situation
  • Reflect on steps within the situation
  • Write/read
  • Fill out template

Step by step:

  1. Hand out templates for your participants as well as pens, post-its and personas (1 min).

  2. Divide the participants in groups of 2 and explain the method by showing an example that differentiates from the scope of the workshop to ensure that the participants are not primed.

  3. Make sure that the participants have understood the method.

  4. Provide a persona for each group (could be the same or different personas). Ask the participants to discuss the persona (5 min).

  5. Give each group a situation that the persona has to go through (could be the same situation or different situations).

  6. Ask the groups to fill out the template by writing the personas’ steps in the given situation on the template. The steps are noted on post-its, one step pr. post-it (10-15 min).

  7. Ask the groups to generate categories for the steps (5 min).

  8. Ask the groups to link emotions on post-its to the different steps. Include who the persona interacts with and their potential emotions/frustrations (5-10 min).

  9. Ask the groups to present their personas journey (2 min pr. group).

When doing this method you should consider:

If possible invite personas to the workshop and let the participants engage with the persona before filling out the template.

If the abilities of the participants allows it, ask them to perform the journey map by using wall space. Ask them to stick the template to the wall instead of sitting around a table.

Since there are multiple steps it can be a good idea as a facilitator to only tell one step at a time. This ensures that the participants do not get confused about which step they are at and it eliminates the risk of them mixing the steps or skipping one of the steps.

If you for instance only have 4 participants which makes up for two groups, each group could get multiple personas to create a journey from. If you have many participants each group could get one persona that differentiates from the other group’s persona. It all depends on the amount of time there is, number of participants and the amount of data wished to be generated.

If the persona resembles a participant, do not let the participant be pointed out as it can make him/her uncomfortable.

 

Materials needed:

  • Template
  • Post-its
  • Pens
  • Space