Customer Journey Mapping
Definition
Journey mapping visualizes steps, touchpoints, goals, questions, and problems of a user or customer journey.
A journey map connects temporal phases with the perspective of users. It can consolidate qualitative and quantitative insights but is not a substitute for actual research.
Simply explained
Like a map of the experience from first contact to goal – including detours and obstacles.
Why it matters in practice
Relevant for website structure, conversion, service processes, and coordination of multiple channels.
Example from business
A company traces the path from Google search through the performance page and initial consultation to the offer and marks information gaps.
Limits and pitfalls
- Inventing a journey from internal assumptions; equating persona, funnel, and journey; depicting only the ideal path; not documenting data sources.
Origin & history
Journey maps are an established tool in service design and UX. Nielsen Norman Group describes them as a visualization of a process from a person’s perspective.
Use in mid-sized companies
- Possible applications: website information architecture, onboarding, support, and conversion optimization.
Frequently asked questions
Is a journey map a funnel?
No, it depicts experience and context, not just conversion stages. Must it be based on research? For reliable statements, yes.
Sources
- Journey Mapping 101 · Nielsen Norman Group, Journey Mapping 101
Sources checked on 10.10.2026.
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