5 Wardley mapping
This chapter covers
- Iterating through the strategy cycle
- Creating Wardley Maps
- Applying climatic forces to a Wardley Map
- Making strategic decisions and plays using a Wardley Map
- Connecting architecture to strategy
Wardley Mapping is an essential tool for business and technology leaders, especially in the context of an architecture modernization journey. It has emerged as a popular and highly effective tool. It moves beyond simple 2x2 grids and gut instinct to a model that involves mapping out business using value chains and their evolution. This is the enabler for much richer and more nuanced discussions about strategy. Even better, Wardley Mapping makes strategy more collaborative, allowing diverse groups, including technical and business leaders, to explore their landscape and connect the business and technological aspects of value chains.
Not only is Wardley Mapping a technique, but it is also a large community that continues to grow. It is becoming mainstream, and the terminology used in Wardley Mapping is becoming the de-facto strategy language in business and technology environments. It’s essential to learn Wardley Mapping so that you are aware of the terminology and its nuances. Another reason to learn Wardley Mapping is that it is often combined with many other techniques in this book, like Team Topologies.