software.architecture

Why Mapping Touchpoints Really Matters Customer Experience (CX) isn’t just about the journey—it’s about the real-world interfaces customers encounter every day. Emails, forms, packaging, signage, error messages, notifications, support chats, contracts—these are the tangible points of contact that shape a customer’s perception. Organizations often operate in silos, with teams focusing only on isolated parts of the experience. This fragmented view hides the bigger picture. A Touchpoint Inventory is a powerful method to uncover and connect these elements, making the invisible visible.

Why Start With an Assumption-Based Diagram? Before you’ve conducted any formal research, you already have something: assumptions. And these assumptions are valuable — if made visible. Creating a first-draft experience diagram gives your team a common place to start. It helps uncover gaps in understanding, highlight contradictions, and generate focused research questions. Even though it’s not validated, it’s a critical tool for initiating alignment and shaping your exploration. Think of it not as a finished product, but as a hypothesis in visual form — a sketch of how you believe a process or journey unfolds.