Scenario Swim lanes

What is this method about?

A diagram depicting the activity of multiple actors in relation to the experience they have when interacting with the service.

Why use it

It helps to locate the cause of a problem in a service process and identify where action needs to be taken and for which actors in order to mitigate or eliminate the problem. It aids organizations in understanding how a service relies on varying groups of actors and in determining if the appropriate tasks have been assigned to the appropriate groups, and if technical requirements are aligned appropriately.

When should I use it?

Scenario swim lanes are helpful when bottlenecks and disruptions are happening within a service on a fairly regular basis. They help development teams and designers identify places where processes or tasks may need to be revised or reassigned to eliminate/mitigate the issues.

What you get

• The activity will generate a scenario swimlanes diagram that details varying groups of actors that determines if the appropriate tasks have been assigned to the appropriate groups, and if technical requirements are aligned appropriately. • Designers and developers should expect to have a better understanding of how actors are grouped and how the actions of the actors or the groups of actors have an impact on the service experience. • The activity will identify parties or groups responsible for creating a bottleneck in the service flow.

At a glance

• Time: Short
• Effort: Medium
• Cost: Low

Materials

• Workspace
• Whiteboard and markers
• Sticky notes
• Paper
• Markers and pens

Who is involved

• SD Designer / Analyst
• Researcher (step 2 possible)
• Process Manager (in some circumstances of use)
• Business Unit/Department Lead from the area being explored. (in some circumstances of use)