Assumption Map
What is an Assumption Map in Employee Experience?
An Assumption Map in Employee Experience is a visual tool used to identify, document, and validate assumptions about employees' needs, preferences, and behaviors throughout their journey with an organization.
Synonyms: Employee Assumption Chart, Workforce Hypothesis Map, Staff Belief Diagram, HR Assumption Framework
Why Assumption Maps are Important in Employee Experience
Assumption Maps play a crucial role in shaping effective employee experience strategies. By explicitly documenting and challenging assumptions, organizations can:
- Avoid costly mistakes based on incorrect beliefs
- Identify gaps in understanding of employee needs
- Prioritize areas for further research and validation
- Align stakeholders on current knowledge and uncertainties
How to Create an Assumption Map for Employee Experience
Creating an Assumption Map involves several key steps:
- Gather stakeholders from various departments
- Brainstorm assumptions about employee experiences
- Categorize assumptions (e.g., onboarding, engagement, retention)
- Plot assumptions on a grid based on importance and certainty
- Identify high-impact, low-certainty assumptions for validation
Examples of Assumption Map Insights
Assumption Maps can reveal valuable insights such as:
- "We assume flexible working hours increase productivity"
- "We believe our onboarding process adequately prepares new hires"
- "We think our benefits package is competitive in the industry"
These insights guide further investigation and inform employee experience initiatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What's the difference between an Assumption Map and Employee Journey Mapping?: While Employee Journey Mapping focuses on mapping out the entire employee experience, an Assumption Map specifically identifies and validates assumptions about various aspects of that journey.
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How often should we update our Assumption Map?: It's best to review and update your Assumption Map regularly, ideally quarterly or bi-annually, and whenever significant changes occur in the organization or industry.
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Can Assumption Maps be used for specific employee segments?: Yes, you can create separate Assumption Maps for different employee personas or segments to capture unique assumptions about their experiences and needs.
