System Scenario Mapping
System Scenario Mapping visualizes how a system evolves over time under different conditions, revealing potential variations and actor interactions. It helps teams understand system dynamics and identify opportunities for improvement by analyzing actor behaviors across various scenarios.
Use this method when you need to understand the dynamic relationships within a complex system and identify potential design interventions under varying circumstances. It's particularly useful when exploring how different actors respond to specific triggers or events within the system.
Solves: Lack of understanding of system dynamics, overlooking potential consequences of design decisions, failure to account for different user behaviors.
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Step 1: Identify key scenarios that significantly impact the system's development. (10 minutes)
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Step 2: For each scenario, identify the main actors involved and prioritize those with the most influence. (15 minutes)
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Step 3: Draw connections between actors, representing the exchange flows (information, resources, etc.) that are activated in a sequence of events. (45 minutes)
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Step 4: Extract key considerations related to pain points and opportunities, noting how actors might behave differently across scenarios. (30 minutes)
- Encourage participants to focus on a single scenario at a time to avoid overwhelming the process.
- Remind the group to consider both positive and negative outcomes for each scenario.
- Use different colored markers to represent different types of exchange flows.
- Incorporate user journey mapping techniques to add a layer of user experience to the system scenario.