Ecosystem Mapping: Understanding the Wider Context
An ecosystem map shows everything that shapes a service beyond its immediate journey: the organisations, partners, suppliers, technologies, regulations and external influences surrounding it. This insight explains what ecosystem maps reveal and how to build one to spot risks and opportunities (Government Digital Service, 2019).
Technique Overview
Ecosystem Mapping: Understanding the Wider Context Definition
An ecosystem map is a visual tool that places a service or user at the centre and shows the organisations, partners, suppliers, technologies, regulations and other external influences that shape it (Service Design Tools, n.d.). Unlike a journey map or blueprint, which focuses on a user's steps, an ecosystem map captures the wider environment behind those steps, including relationships that are easy to overlook until something changes (Grimes, n.d.).
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Business Evidence
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Further Reading
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Ecosystem Mapping: Understanding the Wider Context references (4 of up to 20) *
- Government Digital Service (2019) Map and understand a user's whole problem. GOV.UK Service Manual. Available at: gov.uk/service-manual/design/map-a-users-whole-problem
- Grimes, J. (nd) Using a service ecosystem to quickly grasp complexity. Service Design Network. Available at: service-design-network.org/touchpoint_article/using-a-service--ecosystem-to-quickly--grasp-complexity
- Harmer, W. and Orellana, I. (2022) Service landscape maps: a tool for mapping public services. Available at: services.blog.gov.uk/2022/03/23/service-landscape-maps-a-tool-for-mapping-public-services/
- Hartley, L. and Dickerson, K. (2025) Defra group transformation: mapping the whole service landscape. Available at: defradigital.blog.gov.uk/2025/12/10/defra-group-transformation-mapping-the-whole-service-landscape/
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