Why do we create customer journey maps?

Before I became involved in branding work, I had never heard of a customer journey map. However, after creating one myself, I came to feel that it is “an extremely useful tool in the preparatory stage of service and product development.”

To help clarify its meaning, I have summarized the concept of a customer journey map in a simple and easy-to-understand way.

Put simply, a customer journey map is “the process of mapping out the path a customer takes when using a service or product, based on the creator’s imagination.” In other words, it is not about directly tracing the actual behavior of customers. Rather, it involves deepening one’s understanding of the target user, envisioning their experience, and mapping that process as a trajectory to be followed.

It is said that a strong focus on “customer experience” management began to emerge in the 1990s. The format of customer journey maps commonly used today (see the sample image in the next section, “How to Create a Customer Journey Map”) is believed to have been established around 2005. While it may seem like a long-standing concept, it is actually a relatively modern tool.

Looking further into its origins, the exact etymology of the term “customer journey map (CJM)” remains unclear. However, the foundational idea—analyzing a service or product by considering multiple “touchpoints”—is said to stem from the concept of MoT (Moments of Truth), proposed by former Scandinavian Airlines CEO Jan Carlzon.

Now, let’s take a look at a customer journey map I created and walk through some key points with a more detailed explanation.

How to Create a Customer Journey Map

Customer journey maps can be created in workshops by placing sticky notes on a whiteboard. However, here we will explain how to create a version that can also be used in presentation materials.

Using the theme “BOEL Website TIPS Page,” let’s proceed to create a customer journey map. The steps are as follows:

You cannot create a customer journey map without a target user. It is similar to advertising beer to someone who does not drink—it simply will not generate any “empathy.” Therefore, you need to narrow down your persona and target based on factors such as the customer’s lifestyle.

First, consider: “What kind of person would view the Insights page?” and develop this in as much detail as possible.

Example: Target
Ages 22–25, female, university or graduate student, aspiring art director
Ages 22–28, male, university or graduate student, aspiring engineer
Ages 23–28, female, office worker, planning role
Ages 23–35, male, office worker, director

Example: Persona
Yuki Yamashita
24 years old
Female
Graduate student
Lives alone in Tokyo
Aspires to work at a design company and is attending graduate school related to design.
Also works as a freelance designer.
As job-hunting season approaches, she has made it a daily routine to browse design job websites.
She often visits various websites to acquire useful knowledge related to design.

By defining these details, everyone involved can proceed with a shared image of the same individual, reducing discrepancies in how the target user is understood.

Customer journey maps also make use of the “5W1H” framework commonly applied in business.

When = Stage / Scene
Where = Scene / Channel / Touchpoint / Action
How = Channel / Touchpoint / Action
What = Action
Who / Why = Thoughts / Emotions

The reason for using this framework, as with “1. Defining the Persona and Target,” is to visualize one’s thinking. It allows abstract ideas to be externalized and clearly understood.

Now, let’s try to visualize the behavior of a target such as “a 22–25-year-old female university or graduate student aspiring to be an art director” using 5W1H.

This is how I visualize it to deepen my understanding of the user.

How did you visualize it? And were you able to understand how to think through the process and how to move forward with potential actions?

Among the steps involved in creating a customer journey map, I find this second step to be the most challenging. It often makes me realize that I still need to further deepen my understanding of the target user. However, by approaching both Step 1 and Step 2 with care and attention, they become critical turning points in creating a more effective customer journey map.

I used to think that working while directly designing would be more efficient. However, I realized that this approach was actually slowing me down. While some people may be able to design as they go, in my case, even when I felt I had everything organized in my head, I would inevitably overlook details or forget to add important points.

As a countermeasure, I began to consciously “write down everything in my head first.” As you work, new ideas will naturally come up, but even the smallest thoughts should be noted down in bullet points on paper.

Rather than immediately using a computer mouse, I made it a habit to first use a pencil—sketching a simple layout and writing down everything in my head as bullet points. Compared to before, this approach not only reduced oversights and forgotten additions, but also minimized hesitation and gradually improved the speed at which I could complete the work.

This method is not limited to creating customer journey maps; I apply it to other tasks as well.

Once Steps 1, 2, and 3 are complete, you can finally move on to working on the computer.

I personally use “Adobe XD” to create my layouts. However, after looking into it, I found that there are also free templates available, and it is even possible to create them in Excel. I recommend using various tools and choosing the method that works best for you.

After you have completed filling in all the content based on your notes, take a step back and review everything. When reviewing, I keep the following points in mind:

I repeat this process until I am fully satisfied with the content, not just from a design perspective but overall.

Since the content is already complete, the next step is to refine the design.

When finalizing the design, I focus on whether it functions well as presentation material from a UI design perspective. For example, using bold text can improve readability, and softening colors can make the layout easier on the eyes without causing visual strain.

At this stage, rather than focusing on the target user, I design with the audience of the presentation in mind—the people who will be viewing and listening.

Once the design is finalized, the customer journey map is complete.

So far, I have explained the process of creating a customer journey map. Now, I would like to share my perspective on “how to create a better customer journey map.”

According to the book Mapping Experiences: A Complete Guide to Creating Value through Journeys, Blueprints, and Diagrams, if most of the answers to these five questions are “yes,” then it is likely that you have created a strong customer journey map. I personally agree with this idea, as I see these as “the five elements necessary to generate user empathy.” The more a user feels empathy when viewing the work, the more it indicates that the creator truly understands the user.

While these five factors are key drivers in the decision-making process, it is important to remember that a customer journey map does not directly replicate real customer experiences. It is, ultimately, a product of the creator’s imagination. However, what must always be kept in mind is that these five factors represent how customers perceive the characteristics of a product or service. In other words, value is recognized within the customer’s mind—it is not an inherent, absolute quality possessed by the product or service itself.

Although it is true that a customer journey map is based on the creator’s imagination, I believe the key to improving it lies in continuously asking the target persona, “Why is that?” This internal questioning helps uncover how the experience is perceived from the customer’s point of view. If we only ask “What is it?”, the answers tend to remain superficial and limited. Asking “Why?” expands the scope of insight and deepens understanding (see the illustration in “Step 2: Consider the 5W1H”).

In other words, while we cannot directly question the target persona, this process of asking ourselves these questions becomes a crucial pathway toward understanding the target user more deeply than anyone else.

Have you come to see that a customer journey map is not simply “a list of touchpoints,” but rather a highly valuable tool for exploring consumer motivations and attitudes in depth? It helps clearly answer questions such as: “What drives a consumer to make a purchase decision?” and “What factors increase customer satisfaction?”

If you ever find yourself unsure of how to proceed with a creative project, I highly recommend creating a customer journey map—it can reveal a wide range of useful insights. Moreover, it serves as a powerful tool for gaining a deep understanding of users.

I hope this article has introduced you to the concept of the customer journey map and sparked your interest in exploring it further.