Assumption Map

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:

1. Avoid costly mistakes based on incorrect beliefs
2. Identify gaps in understanding of employee needs
3. Prioritize areas for further research and validation
4. Align stakeholders on current knowledge and uncertainties

How to Create an Assumption Map for Employee Experience

Creating an Assumption Map involves several key steps:

1. Gather stakeholders from various departments
2. Brainstorm assumptions about employee experiences
3. Categorize assumptions (e.g., onboarding, engagement, retention)
4. Plot assumptions on a grid based on importance and certainty
5. 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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.