What is Wardley Mapping?
As a CEO of the startup Fotango, Simon Wardley needed to define a strategy, but none of the existing approaches led to satisfying results.
Determined to go beyond mediocrity, he developed a framework designed to enhance his situational awareness and improve decision-making.
This framework, now known as Wardley Mapping, has organically gained widespread popularity.
Today, leaders across various industries use Wardley Mapping to build strategies and outsmart competition.
Infrastructure Manager,
Insurance Company
“It is so simple I thought it was useless. But, for the first time, we have stopped looking at Excel rows and we have understood our situation. Thank you."
Product Manager,
Software Company
"[...] it has been incredibly useful to foster the collaboration across our team, getting us talking and prompt discussions. Off the back of that then generating focus areas in a clear and methodical way."
Digital Motion Lead,
Energy Company
“Wardley Mapping would have shorten our time to action. We wish we have used it earlier.”
What people say
Value Hidden in Plain Sight:
Graphical Notation
Ever helped someone with direction, only to later worry you might have misdirected them?
This common scenario perfectly mirrors the challenges of decision-making.
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Despite lengthy discussions, it's often unclear if everyone shares the same understanding of the situation.
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Maps ensure everyone sees the same picture.
Which approach do you prefer: relying on detailed maps or trusting your memory?
Notation Enabled Magic
Patterns
When Simon Wardley began mapping his environment, he discovered that certain capabilities formed highly repeatable patterns — and he identified 40 of them.
These are pre-thought situations with pre-planned responses. It changes how you think about strategy. It feels like being a main character of a movie who realizes they have unique skills.
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Best Practices (a.k.a Doctrine)
Through business mapping, Simon identified companies positioned for future success versus those with good finances but no clear path forward.
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And then he discovered that successful companies do things differently. He identified 40 key principles that, like rigorous military training, are challenging but ensure resilience and the ability to capture opportunities.