In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, understanding your organisation’s position and planning for the future is crucial. One powerful tool that has gained traction in recent years is Wardley Mapping. This strategic planning technique, developed by Simon Wardley, offers a visual way to explore and communicate the complexities of business environments. Let’s dive into the key aspects and how it can benefit your organisation. This article is based on Chapter 3 of our book ‘The Value Flywheel Effect‘.
The Basics of Wardley Mapping
A Wardley Map is a visual representation of the components needed to serve a user need, arranged on two axes:
- Visibility (vertical axis): From visible to invisible to the end user
- Evolution (horizontal axis): From genesis to custom-built to product to commodity
This structure allows teams to visualize their value chain and understand how different components evolve over time.
The Value of Grids
One practical tip when creating maps is to overlay a grid system. This grid helps in quickly referencing specific areas of the map. For example:
- Columns (A, B, C, D): Represent the evolution stages
- Rows (1, 2, 3, 4): Represent visibility levels
This grid system enables team members to easily communicate about specific components on the map, enhancing collaboration and discussion.
Three Types of Wardley Maps
Mapping the Stack:
This focuses on technical architecture and infrastructure. It’s particularly useful for:
- Understanding legacy systems and modernisation needs
- Identifying inertia barriers in technology
- Planning for skill development and training needs
Mapping the Organisation:
This looks at the structure and capabilities of your company or department. It helps in:
- Aligning teams with core domains and value streams
- Identifying gaps in capabilities
- Making informed decisions about platform engineering and shared services
Mapping the Market:
This provides an external view of your industry. Benefits include:
- Understanding your company’s position in the market
- Identifying opportunities and threats
- Informing product strategy and direction
The Benefits of Wardley Mapping
- Enhanced Situational Awareness: Maps provide a clear view of your current state, helping leaders and teams understand complex environments quickly.
- Improved Decision Making: By visualising dependencies and evolution, teams can make more informed decisions about where to invest resources.
- Better Alignment: Maps help align teams around a shared understanding of the business landscape and strategic direction.
- Identification of Inefficiencies: Maps can reveal where teams might be duplicating efforts or where shared services could be beneficial.
- Strategic Foresight: By understanding the evolution of components, organisations can better prepare for future changes in their industry.
Getting Started
- Start simple: Begin with a small scope, perhaps mapping a single product or service.
- Use existing maps as inspiration: There are many examples available in the community to help you get started.
- Collaborate: Involve team members from different areas to get diverse perspectives.
- Iterate: Maps are living documents. Revisit and refine them as you gain new insights.
Wardley Mapping is a powerful tool for strategic thinking and planning. By providing a visual representation of your business landscape, it enables better decision-making, improved communication, and a clearer path to achieving your organisation’s goals. Whether you’re mapping your tech stack, organisation, or market, the insights gained can be invaluable in navigating the complexities of modern business.
Remember, the power of Wardley Mapping lies not just in the final artifact, but in the conversations and insights that emerge during the mapping process. So grab a whiteboard, gather your team, and start mapping your way to strategic success!
Serverless Craic from The Serverless Edge
Check out our book, The Value Flywheel Effect
Follow us on X @ServerlessEdge
Follow us on LinkedIn