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How to run a virtual user journey mapping workshop
A step by step process and Miro template
With WFH going for months without a definitive end, our team had to adjust how we collaborate and communicate. Long gone are the days when we could hold the in-person user testing, brainstorming, and workshop sessions that were once essential to our workflow. Now, we collaborate and conduct design critiques over video call and watch each other’s cursors zoom around Figma screens.
A couple of months ago, I needed user journey maps to better understand and design for one of my projects. Without the ability to hold a workshop live, I turned to Miro— an online live collaboration tool with a bunch of templates— as a solution. In this article, I will outline how I used Miro to successfully facilitate a virtual user journey mapping workshop.
What is a user journey map?
User journey maps outline the user’s current experience: tasks, pain points, emotions, etc. With the journey map, designers can better understand where the experience is good or bad and use this to guide their design process.
How do I build a user journey map?
Here are the steps to organize a virtual user journey mapping workshop:
1. Identify the scope of the workshop
You first need to identify which persona’s user journey you want to tackle. Keeping the workshop focused on a specific user journey allows you to dive deeper into the user’s experience and emerge with a more fleshed-out journey map.
2. Invite people to participate
While journey maps are primarily used by designers, it’s important to involve people from other teams who have different perspectives and knowledge of your users. This will ensure your journey maps are well-rounded and is a great way to get relevant stakeholders invested in the design process. However, try not to invite too many people — ideally no more than twelve — so everyone has a chance to contribute.
Tip: When sending the event invite, clearly communicate the reason for the workshop, why you are asking them to participate, and what the intended outcomes and next steps are.
