Customer journey map

Customer journey maps document user experiences through sequential stages, typically organized horizontally. Key components include user actions, thoughts, emotions, and touchpoints at each phase. The emotional journey often appears as a curve showing highs and lows throughout the experience.

Each stage connects to show progression through time. Customer journey maps focus on one user type completing one specific scenario, providing deep insight into that particular experience. Some organizations also create maps that track multiple personas or aggregate common patterns across user segments. These maps excel at revealing emotional patterns and pain points. They help teams understand not just what users do, but why they do it and how they feel. This emotional layer distinguishes journey maps from other documentation methods.