Workflow Mapping: Knowing Your Customers Better Than They Know Themselves

  Innovation  

It’s hard not to eye-roll when the business gurus tell us “Know our customer! Develop from the customer’s point of view!” Not that it’s wrong; it’s just that we all agree. That’s what we’re trying to do. Tell us how we can do it better.
 
Enter workflow mapping. This is an under-utilized technique for identifying customer / user difficulties, especially in the context of on-the-job activities done by experts. The result of workflow mapping is a set of charts in which you can look at strategic goals and zoom in to an astounding level of detail – the tools and techniques used to execute each task. In each step, pain points are identified. That document can drive creative, customer-centered product development.

This session will cover:

•          Basics of workflow mapping
•          How to involve multiple functions (and save money in the process)
•          Keys to mapping success (hint: it can be done very badly)

It’s hard not to eye-roll when the business gurus tell us “Know our customer! Develop from the customer’s point of view!” Not that it’s wrong; it’s just that we all agree. That’s what we’re trying to do. Tell us how we can do it better. Enter workflow mapping. This is an under-utilized technique for identifying customer / user difficulties, especially in the context of on-the-job activities done by experts. The result of workflow mapping is a set of charts in which you can look at strategic goals and zoom in to an astounding level of detail – the tools and techniques used to execute each task. In each step, pain points are identified. That document can drive creative, customer-centered product development.