{"id":1836,"date":"2021-04-08T14:31:32","date_gmt":"2021-04-08T12:31:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/?p=1836"},"modified":"2023-08-14T17:09:36","modified_gmt":"2023-08-14T15:09:36","slug":"difference-story-mapping-process-mapping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/difference-story-mapping-process-mapping","title":{"rendered":"What&#8217;s The Difference Between Story Mapping and Process Mapping?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>It&#8217;s easy to mix story mapping up with process mapping, so we decided to provide a brief clarification on both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Product backlogs function as the soul of a product. They are responsible for managing everything regarding the product, so they can get quite complicated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, <strong>a complex product will have many user stories in the backlog<\/strong>. It can be hard for teams not to lose sight of the big picture. Therefore, structuring a product backlog is essential for businesses to have an overview of what they\u2019re creating. This can be done with (for example) user story mapping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block has-base-background-color has-background\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Contents<\/h2><nav><div><div><a href=\"#what-is-story-mapping\">What is story mapping?<\/a><\/div><div><a href=\"#what-is-process-mapping\">What is process mapping?<\/a><\/div><div><a href=\"#conclusion\">Conclusion\u00a0<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/nav><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Which one is more effective, when it comes to product backlogs?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll talk about both approaches in their respective formats. We\u2019ll compare the story mapping approach with process mapping and look at what we can turn to when we manage a product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-story-mapping\">What is<strong> story mapping<\/strong>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>\u201cStory mapping allows you and your team to analyze a single business process quickly,\u201d <\/em>says Benjamin Dawes, a project manager at <a href=\"https:\/\/paperfellows.com\/research-paper-writers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Paper Fellows<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/stateofwriting.com\/british-essay-writers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">State of writing<\/a>. <em>\u201cWhenever your team is in need of evaluating the process in a short amount of time, story mapping is a nice approach to consider. Analyze and highlight the main points of the \u2018narrative\u2019 that you\u2019re creating.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>With that said, the biggest difference between process mapping and story mapping is that process mapping focuses on describing entire business processes, and workflows from the business&#8217;s perspective. Story mapping, on the other hand, portrays user journeys from the user&#8217;s perspective.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"418\" src=\"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/user-story-map-illustration.png\" alt=\"User story maps are built up rather like a kanban board, following the narrative flow of the user journey\" class=\"wp-image-4054\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/user-story-map-illustration.png 800w, https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/user-story-map-illustration-300x157.png 300w, https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/user-story-map-illustration-768x401.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">User story maps are built up rather like a kanban board, following the narrative flow of the user journey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-story-mapping-can-be-done-in-the-following-steps\">Story mapping can be done in the following steps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>First, you must <strong>gather user stories <\/strong>that the product team must implement in a business process (preferably, existing items in the product backlog). Then record them on sticky notes or digitally.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Arrange user stories (from left to right) chronologically on a blackboard or table. This is called the<strong> \u201cnarrative flow,\u201d<\/strong> or a \u201ccustomer journey.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Look for any <strong>alternative sequences <\/strong>(i.e. exceptions, problems, special cases, etc.). Place normal sequences on top, while placing variations underneath, thus establishing importance (in other words, from abstract to concrete, from less detail to more).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Then, gather executed user stories together into activities (i.e. <a href=\"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/epics-and-user-stories\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/epics-and-user-stories\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">epics or features<\/a>). Write these activities on slips of a different color. This creates the backbone of the story map.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Finally, group user stories based on their goals or outcomes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>In short, story mapping is used to highlight the user journey, and give you a deeper understanding of your target market, your actual users, and their experiences. Usually, product teams start story mapping at the beginning of a project and follow up on progress with the story map later. The main goal at the beginning is to establish shared understanding amongst the team so that they can try to provide the most value to users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read about common agile story mapping mistakes<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-storiesonboard-blog wp-block-embed-storiesonboard-blog\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"xmKCrlCY4g\"><a href=\"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/story-mapping-pitfalls\">8 Story Mapping Pitfalls &#038; How to Avoid Them<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;8 Story Mapping Pitfalls &#038; How to Avoid Them&#8221; &#8212; StoriesOnBoard Blog\" src=\"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/story-mapping-pitfalls\/embed#?secret=v1hcjko0rk#?secret=xmKCrlCY4g\" data-secret=\"xmKCrlCY4g\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-process-mapping\">What is <strong>process mapping<\/strong>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>\u201cProcess mapping works a little differently from story mapping,\u201d<\/em> says Sofia Smithers, a business writer at <a href=\"https:\/\/oxessays.com\/essay-help\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">OX Essays<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/liahelp.com\/thesis-writing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lia Help<\/a>. <em>\u201cThis approach is all about describing the work flow of a team or a company, rather than doing an analysis of user journeys. &#8220;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Process maps are much higher in the hierarchy as a single process map can include several story maps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Process mapping is different from story mapping in the following ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Notation<\/em>: The following graphical models of business processes each with its own benefits:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>UML activity diagrams<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>BPMN<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>EPK, or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Flow diagrams<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Work planning<\/em>: Looking at user stories may be done with story maps and product backlogs. However, process mapping handles the work planning, while story mapping looks at the completeness, sequencing, and priorities of product backlogs. That means that process mapping handles the user stories as \u201cwork packages,\u201d while story mapping analyzes these processes in detail.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-base-background-color has-background is-content-justification-left is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-f56a869c wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"font-size:100px\">\n<h2 class=\"has-base-3-color has-contrast-2-background-color has-text-color has-background has-medium-font-size wp-block-heading\">Expand your knowledge, follow us for more!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links has-small-icon-size has-icon-color is-style-default is-horizontal is-content-justification-space-between is-layout-flex wp-container-core-social-links-is-layout-9262d1ff wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-linkedin  wp-block-social-link\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/storiesonboard\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M19.7,3H4.3C3.582,3,3,3.582,3,4.3v15.4C3,20.418,3.582,21,4.3,21h15.4c0.718,0,1.3-0.582,1.3-1.3V4.3 C21,3.582,20.418,3,19.7,3z M8.339,18.338H5.667v-8.59h2.672V18.338z M7.004,8.574c-0.857,0-1.549-0.694-1.549-1.548 c0-0.855,0.691-1.548,1.549-1.548c0.854,0,1.547,0.694,1.547,1.548C8.551,7.881,7.858,8.574,7.004,8.574z M18.339,18.338h-2.669 v-4.177c0-0.996-0.017-2.278-1.387-2.278c-1.389,0-1.601,1.086-1.601,2.206v4.249h-2.667v-8.59h2.559v1.174h0.037 c0.356-0.675,1.227-1.387,2.526-1.387c2.703,0,3.203,1.779,3.203,4.092V18.338z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">LinkedIn<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-facebook  wp-block-social-link\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/storiesonboard.by.devmads\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-youtube  wp-block-social-link\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/StoriesOnBoardOnline\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M21.8,8.001c0,0-0.195-1.378-0.795-1.985c-0.76-0.797-1.613-0.801-2.004-0.847c-2.799-0.202-6.997-0.202-6.997-0.202 h-0.009c0,0-4.198,0-6.997,0.202C4.608,5.216,3.756,5.22,2.995,6.016C2.395,6.623,2.2,8.001,2.2,8.001S2,9.62,2,11.238v1.517 c0,1.618,0.2,3.237,0.2,3.237s0.195,1.378,0.795,1.985c0.761,0.797,1.76,0.771,2.205,0.855c1.6,0.153,6.8,0.201,6.8,0.201 s4.203-0.006,7.001-0.209c0.391-0.047,1.243-0.051,2.004-0.847c0.6-0.607,0.795-1.985,0.795-1.985s0.2-1.618,0.2-3.237v-1.517 C22,9.62,21.8,8.001,21.8,8.001z M9.935,14.594l-0.001-5.62l5.404,2.82L9.935,14.594z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">YouTube<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-mail  wp-block-social-link\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/storiesonboard.activehosted.com\/f\/13\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M19,5H5c-1.1,0-2,.9-2,2v10c0,1.1.9,2,2,2h14c1.1,0,2-.9,2-2V7c0-1.1-.9-2-2-2zm.5,12c0,.3-.2.5-.5.5H5c-.3,0-.5-.2-.5-.5V9.8l7.5,5.6,7.5-5.6V17zm0-9.1L12,13.6,4.5,7.9V7c0-.3.2-.5.5-.5h14c.3,0,.5.2.5.5v.9z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Mail<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"conclusion\"><strong>Conclusion&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So, now that we\u2019ve learned about both practices which are more effective for product backlogs? The short answer is: depends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All in all, story mapping provides a more user-centric overview. When you use both planning methods, you can take your story maps and try to fit them into your larger process maps to create a holistic overview, highlighting how everything fits together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ultimately, product teams may benefit from story mapping more, while process mapping is useful for upper management in an organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\">Elizabeth Hines is a writer and editor at <a href=\"https:\/\/ukwritings.com\/do-my-assignment\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Do my assignment<\/em><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/academized.com\/writing-services\/custom-essay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Academized<\/em><\/a>. She is also a contributing writer for <a href=\"https:\/\/boomessays.com\/buy-essay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Boom Essays<\/em><\/a>. As a digital marketer, she specializes in SEO practices and social media influencing. As a content writer, she writes about the latest tech and marketing trends, innovations, and strategies<\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It&#8217;s easy to mix story mapping up with process mapping, so we decided to provide a brief clarification on both. Product backlogs function as the soul of a product. They &#8230; <a title=\"What&#8217;s The Difference Between Story Mapping and Process Mapping?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/difference-story-mapping-process-mapping\" aria-label=\"Read more about What&#8217;s The Difference Between Story Mapping and Process Mapping?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":4052,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49,7],"tags":[877,867,879],"class_list":["post-1836","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pm-life","category-story-mapping","tag-story-mapping","tag-product-planning","tag-release-plannning","resize-featured-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1836","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1836"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1836\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4052"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1836"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1836"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storiesonboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1836"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}