120: Jim Kalbach, Experience Mapping Expert

Experience mapping expert and author Jim Kalbach shares little-known but powerful secrets to leading and executing a successful mapping project. The holistic approach to experience mapping Thinking of creating a customer journey map, process diagram or strategy map for your organization? These can be invaluable tools for growing your business and improving your customer experience. So how can you create useful maps and visualizations that actually help you understand and optimize your processes and strategies? In this in-depth interview, Jim Kalbach outlines the key benefits of creating visuals versus lengthy reports and boring PowerPoints. It is through this understanding that a successful mapping project is executed. Too often, mapping projects become all about the end product. We just want to finish it! But is a true journey map ever done? The success of any mapping project, as Jim explains, is about the process- not the finished product. It is through this process that successful mapping projects lead to critical discoveries, improved communication and exciting opportunities for innovation. Would you like to start a mapping project that gets results? Jim has some great tips on how to get started, get the most out of the process, and use your maps as the tools and resources they were meant to be. About our guest Jim Kalbach is a noted author, speaker, and instructor in user experience design, information architecture, and strategy. He is currently the Head of Customer Success at MURAL, a leading online digital whiteboard. Jim has worked as a design leader with large companies, such as eBay, Audi, SONY, Elsevier Science, LexisNexis, and Citrix. Jim plays jazz bass in jam sessions and combos in Jersey City, where his currently lives. In 2007 Jim published his first full-length book, Designing Web Navigation (O’Reilly). His second book, Mapping Experiences (O’Reilly) was release in 2016. He blogs at experiencinginformation.com and tweets under @jimkalbach. Connect with Jim Jim’s blog Twitter LinkedIn Related Content Jim’s Book, Mapping Experiences Customers That Stick® post, The Magic Number in Customer Experience Is Two 360Connext® post, 5 Customer Journey Mapping Mistakes that Lead You Nowhere Episode 068: Annette Franz, Customer Journey Maps Get Real Sponsor message: Give your team the customer service training they deserve Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com.   Take care of yourself and take care of your customers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices