How a wall-sized customer journey map helped c-suite leaders align around omni channel opportunities and customer needs
REI • Q4 2019 • Vision & Strategy Expertise • Customer Centered Planning Map
In the Q4 of 2020 my SVP came to me with a challenge "Kim, can you help me create a new way to break down our organization planning and budget process into something that is centered around our customer? I want to present a new planning approach back to leaders, and oh, I want digital and retail ops to build this plan, together." His ambition was to do something radically different. I was energized. Challenge accepted. I was off to invent a new solution to drive this ask forward.
The few guidelines provided were:
1) don’t be afraid blow up the current process
2) center the idea around the customer and their needs
3) make this a cross-functional and collaborative effort
4) think omni-channel
Team : I was on point to lead this body of work. I enlisted the help of a like-minded partner in crime to assist. Her name was Laura and she was a UX researcher with a strategy mindset. She helped with ideation for the framework, helped shape journey stages and provided access to qualitative voice of customer insights.
Design Thinking Process
I leveraged a simple design thinking process, starting with divergent thinking, to step through this problem space. I often refer to this design thinking diagram as one of my favorites. Clean, simple and easy for many new to design thinking to understand. Thank you IDEO.
Step 1: Inspiration
We gave our project a name: The omni-channel planning map. An “omni-channel planning document” was not returning much in terms of a google search result. We knew we would need to invent something entirely new. We began by looking at examples of customer frameworks that inspired us and a lot of the examples we liked best were customer journey frameworks. Given the vast number of beautiful frameworks that already existed in the world, we captured several of our favorites and pinned them to a board. From there, we drew on our favorite aspect of each to begin early sketches and versions.
Step 2: Ideation
We began to create simple paper iterations of our ideas, based on both planning input and inspiration we had uncovered. Some interesting models begin to emerge. We experimented with journey frameworks and worked to simplify the most critical aspects of the planning process we wanted to highlight. What information was most important to communicate to our audience? The basis of our customer centered planning framework began to emerge. We drew seams of tape to represent differences in planning across our customer experience, capability enablement and system support structures.
Step 3: Collaboration
A crucial input for this framework was rooted in the clarity and understanding of this work from our cross-divisional partners. Once we had some initial ideas down on paper, we moved our exploration to a giant office wall. We worked in the open to encourage others to stop by and ask questions. We identified and invited stakeholders to our wall for a tour of our progress. Our goal was to ensure this work made sense to both those who would ultimately use it, but also to others who had no idea about the background of the work at hand.
Step 4: Iteration
As we gained stakeholder and cross-divisional input for the project, the omni-map planning wall went through various stages of iteration. We kept our key stakeholder in the loop through lite-touch updates and meetings every other day. We carefully selected the wall right outside of our key stakeholders office as our working space so that he could keep a close eye on the work as it evolved.
Step 5: Implementation (wall)
Once we had reviewed the omni-map planning wall with stakeholders, it was time to make the concept into a wall that could walk. It needed to leave our part of the building and make its’ way to our executive suite. We recreated the cleanest version of the map possible on large sheets of paper and recreated the work in board room for presentation to executives the following Monday.
Step 5: Implementation (consumable)
The last piece of this work, was to ensure the idea could live beyond a giant piece of paper in a board room. To ensure this was the case, I created a 3 slide packet that included a cover slide, a copy of the omni-channel placement (the familiar format for the rest of the presentations) and an editable version of the omni-map. All of these assets were created in PPT for the broadest possible use, adoption and independent iteration.