Business capabilities & functions
A template for defining business capabilities, functions, and customer-focused use cases that form the foundation of your user journey map.
Start by creating a list of 1.4 Business or product capabilities. Our initial list is essentially our catalogue of product features that we plan to build. It will likely continue to grow as the team continues to iterate.
Then, we break down all of the complex business problems in brainstorming sessions to arrive at customer focused use cases, the foundation of our user journey.
Capabilities, functions and user journeys
Use cases should be either a base case or an alternate:
- Base case. The “blue sky” use case. Generally defines a small, specific case around a single actor following their “happy path.”
- Alternate. Covers other small, specific, single-actor cases that arises from variations of the base case. Often “unhappy paths” that must be handled.
All use cases should be concise and follow these best practices:
- End to end
- Use cases should encompass as much of the journey as possible.
- Include multiple actors for the journey if it’s appropriate.
- Starting and ending points must be clear (a concrete, measurable point).
- Specific
- Every use cases has specific actors, and channels should be noted (such as “web site” or “in person”).
- Every use case should narrow in on one single occurrence (avoid complex, branching paths — those are likely different use cases).
- Include assumptions
- Document all pre-conditions to the use case.
- Document any assumptions associated with the actors, use case or journey, to eliminate guesswork.
New stories will be discovered along the way, all of which contributes to the whole user journey. It should be iterative. The whole journey doesn’t need to be set in stone from the start.
Capabilities and functions
| Capability | Function | Who | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issuing | Loan application | Borrower | P1 Base case: Sally (Borrower) buys a new bike from Peloton (Merchant) and chooses to pay using installments. MyBank validates Sally’s application and approves a loan. Sally accepts the terms. Sally’s account is created, and her purchase is funded. |
| Capability | Function | Actor | P1 Base case: Primary use case. |
| Other function | Actor | P1 Alternative: Alternate use case description. | |
| … | |||