Review of "Mapping Experiences: A Guide to Creating Value through Journeys, Blueprints, and Diagrams by Kalbach, J.," Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media (2016)

James Kalbach’s Mapping Experiences: A Guide to Creating Value through Journeys, Blueprints, and Diagrams is a text with a unique focus. In the preface, Kalbach says what he describes is not a design process, but rather the book is “about diagrams—key tools that span fields of practice” (p. xvi). The book starts with the premise that diagrams (or maps—he uses the terms interchangeably) are essential tools for teams focused on designing experiences. Maps are strategic tools for anyone “who needs a holistic view of the ecosystem” (p. xvi) in which a product or service is situated. From strategists to managers to designers, the book is aimed at anyone who wants to communicate a full picture of the various actors (from technologies to people) that contribute to an experience. And that is certainly true within both academia and industry.