Mapping 101: A Beginner's Guide
Master the fundamentals of Wardley Mapping in this comprehensive guide. Learn how to create strategic maps that reveal competitive dynamics and guide better decision-making.
Essential Guide
15 min read•beginner
Learn Wardley Mapping
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Begin with these essential resources to master Wardley Mapping
Glossary
Key terms and concepts in Wardley Mapping
Coevolution of Practice
A strategic pattern describing how practices evolve alongside changing characteristics of underlying components, requiring new methods as technology shifts.
Strategy
Doctrine
A set of 40 universal principles for strategic success, focusing on situational awareness, user needs, and adaptability in dynamic environments.
Strategy
Evolution Stages
The four stages that all components go through: Genesis, Custom Built, Product, and Commodity.
Core Concepts
Gameplay
A catalog of repeatable competitive plays identified through mapping. Apply combinations to remove friction, evolve components, and gain advantage.
Strategy
ILC Model
Innovate-Leverage-Commoditize model - a sensing mechanism that enables businesses to identify new opportunities by monitoring successful customers.
Strategy
Inertia
Learn how to deal with organizational resistance to change. It stops companies from adapting when they need to most.
Strategy
Notation
The visual symbols and conventions used in Wardley Mapping to represent components, dependencies, and evolution stages.
Core Concepts
Purpose
The moral imperative that inspires others to follow. It provides meaning and direction, evolving from strategic choices rather than being a fixed, timeless essence.
Strategy
Strategy Loop
A mental framework that integrates Sun Tzu's five factors, John Boyd's OODA loop, and two types of 'why' for strategic thinking and leadership.
Strategy
Value Chain
The sequence of activities that create value for your customers, from raw materials to final delivery.
Core Concepts
Book Passages
Key insights from Simon Wardley's original work
Standing on the Shoulders of Past Giants
Standardization enables greater complexity. Past innovations become commonplace building blocks for new breakthroughs. You stand on giants' shoulders.
Simon Wardley•Wardley Maps: Topographical intelligence in business
Understanding Value Chains
Every business has a value chain. Understanding this sequence of activities drives better strategic decisions and competitive advantage.
Simon Wardley•Wardley Maps: Topographical intelligence in business
All Models Are Wrong but Some Are Useful
All models are wrong but some are useful. Maps simplify complexity and speed up decisions. Know their limits or you'll create risk.
Simon Wardley•Wardley Maps: Topographical intelligence in business
The Confederates Are Somewhere There
Poor situational awareness kills armies and businesses. Union generals marched into disaster with bad intelligence. Without maps, your projects die.
Simon Wardley•Wardley Maps: Topographical intelligence in business
Maps Beat SWOT
Maps beat SWOT every time. Maps show relationships and give you actionable intelligence. SWOT gives you categories but no tactical guidance.
Simon Wardley•Wardley Maps: Topographical intelligence in business
No One Size Fits All
No single approach works everywhere. Companies want one magic solution, but components evolve differently. What works for commodities fails in uncharted territory.
Simon Wardley•Wardley Maps: Topographical intelligence in business
The Four Stages of Evolution
Everything evolves through four stages: Genesis, Custom Built, Product, Commodity. Understanding this evolution drives better strategic decisions.
Simon Wardley•Wardley Maps: Topographical intelligence in business
Ready to Practice?
Apply what you've learned with real-world case studies and templates