B2B – Product Journey Map & User Network
B2B Design Thinking: Product Innovation when the User is a Network
B2B Design Thinking: Product Innovation when the User is a Network
Why do I need this?
When B2B companies talk about user experience, they are really considering the aggregated needs of multiple people and roles in a large ecosystem. These objectives can differ vastly for every individual. Because every person who uses machines, raw materials, technology, or even furniture and office supplies to get work done has a unique idea of how the experience should be like to meet their individual needs as well as the demands of the business.
Often though in B2B environments a product reaches less of the level of awareness and preference from users compared to B2C, even though it is widely used and relied on to support a comfortable environment. This is why we believe the user experience does matter also in B2B.
What is it?
To tackle this complex challenge we have developed two tools: the “Product Journey Map” and the “User Network Ideation Board”. They can help you to:
map known and unknown users along the journey of a product.
develop ideas in relation to their values typically embraced in the context of an organisation.
How do I use it? – The Product Journey Map
The goal of the Product Journey Map is to identify every person and their roles that come in touch with the product throughout its lifecycle. It distinguishes between the front-stage and back-stage to illustrate which roles work with the product and which work directly on the product or system.
Step 1 – Compose the product lifecycle with the elements most relevant to your case only. Have a bigger picture with main steps from the user’s perspective of the lifecycle on the top and a more detailed one with the internal process steps on the bottom.
Step 2 – Now define users that are relevant and come in touch with the product throughout the defined steps. Look for users that work with the product. These should be place towards the frontstage. Then look for users that work on the product or system and place them onto the backstage.
Step 3 – You might colour code the users for clustering and better overview, e.g. by involved organizations.
Step 4 – Select the most promising users you want to create value for.
How do I use it? – User Network Ideation Board
The goal of the User Network Ideation Board is to build network empathy by assigning elements of value (comparable to what needs are for an individual user) to its members and guide ideation. The “Elements of Value” (developed by Almquist et.al, 2018) are in our view a very useful concept because it blends organisational and individual (career) goals into a single framework.
Step 1 – Copy the prioritized users from the Product Journey Map onto the User Ideation Network Board.
Step 2 – Review the list of elements of value.
Step 3 – Identify and assign at least three elements of value for each user. Come up with first assumptions in a workshop or use data from user interviews.
Step 4 – Build upon these insights. Verify your assumptions or use them as springboard to guide your further ideation process.
Where can I find more information?
This board showcases the key tools & concepts described in the thisisdesignthinking.net article “B2B Design Thinking: Product Innovation when the User is a Network” by Marc-Alexander Winter & Nils Schekorr.
Get started with this template right now.
Product Strategy Workshop
Works best for:
Product Management, Planning
The Product Strategy Workshop template facilitates collaborative sessions for defining and refining product strategies. By providing frameworks for analyzing market dynamics, identifying customer needs, and setting strategic goals, this template fosters alignment among cross-functional teams. With sections for SWOT analysis, value proposition development, and goal setting, it enables teams to create comprehensive product strategies that drive business growth and customer satisfaction.
Sprint Planning Template
Works best for:
Agile, Sprint Planning
The Sprint Planning Template is a useful tool for agile teams to organize and conduct sprint planning sessions. It enhances team collaboration and communication by providing a clear visual layout of sprint goals, tasks, and timelines. The interactive design ensures team alignment toward sprint objectives, leading to effective teamwork. The template is a central hub for planning, discussion, and decision-making, creating a collaborative and productive environment.
SMART Goals Template
Works best for:
Prioritization, Strategic Planning, Project Management
Setting goals can be encouraging, but can also be overwhelming. It can be hard to conceptualize every step you need to take to achieve a goal, which makes it easy to set goals that are too broad or too much of a stretch. SMART is a framework that allows you to establish goals in a way that sets you up for success. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. If you keep these attributes in mind whenever you set goals, then you’ll ensure your objectives are clear and reachable. Your team can use the SMART model anytime you want to set goals. You can also use SMART whenever you want to reevaluate and refine those goals.
Crowd Sourced Cause and Effect
Works best for:
Fishbone Diagram, Problem solving
The Crowd Sourced Cause and Effect template leverages collective intelligence to identify root causes of problems. By involving multiple team members, you can gather diverse perspectives and uncover insights that might be overlooked. This collaborative approach ensures a comprehensive analysis and fosters team engagement.
PERT Chart Template
Works best for:
Mapping, Project Planning
A Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) diagram is used to plan projects efficiently. They help you set a clear timeline, plan out tasks and dependencies, and determine a critical path.
Communications Plan Template
Works best for:
Marketing, Project Management, Project Planning
You saw the opportunity. You developed the product. Now comes an important step: Find your audience and speak to them in a way that’s clear, memorable, and inspiring. You need a communications plan—a strategy for controlling your narrative at every stage of your business—and this template will help you create a good one. No need to build a new strategy every time you have something to communicate. Here, you can simplify the process, streamline your messaging, and empower you to communicate in ways that grow with your business.