Doctrine PrinciplesWardley Mapping Body of Knowledge

A necessity for effective collaboration is a common language. Maps allow many people with different aptitudes to work together to create a common understanding.

Maps allow for assumptions to be visually exposed. Encourage challenge to any map with a focus on creating a better map and understanding.

There is a strong correlation between awareness and performance. Try to understand the landscape you are competing in. Look before you leap.

Have a bias towards openness within your organisation. Share your maps with others and allow them to add their wisdom and challenge.

When mapping a landscape, know who your users are e.g. customers, shareholders, regulators and staff.

An essential part of mapping is the anchor of user needs. Create an environment where your needs are achieved by meeting the needs of your users.

Use multiple maps to help remove duplication and bias within an organisation. The level of duplication within most organisations vastly exceeds expectations.

Avoid the tyranny of one. There is no magic solution — use multiple methods as appropriate. In any large system, multiple methods may be used at the same time.

Focus on the outcome and what you are trying to achieve. Different types of contract will be needed. Keep contracts constrained in terms of time and budget.

If what you're building could use a component that already exists, avoid the urge to re-invent it. Always challenge when you depart from using something that already exists.

You'll likely use other tools alongside mapping when scenario planning, including financial models and business model canvas.

Break large systems down into small components, use and re-use inexpensive components, constrain budgets and time, build as simply and elegantly as possible.

If something is industrialised and standards exist, try to use them. Don't try building a better standard unless you have an extremely compelling reason.

The purpose of mapping is not just to create a shared understanding but also to learn climatic patterns, doctrine and context specific play. Have a bias towards learning and the use of data.

Do not attempt to create the perfect map. Have a bias towards action because the landscape will change and you will discover more through action.

Whatever you do will evolve. Have a bias towards the new, be curious and take appropriate risks. Be willing to experiment.

Ecosystems can be powerful sensing engines for future change, sources of cooperation, and defensive/offensive alliances. Listen to them.

Know the details, use small teams and break large landscapes into small contracts.

Use maps to understand failure modes and what will be impacted if a component fails. Mitigate risks by distributing systems and designing for failure.

Understand the root cause of inertia. Use a map to anticipate it before you encounter it and prepare solutions and counter arguments.

Be careful not to waste valuable time making the ineffective more efficient. Understand the landscape and how it's changing before attempting to optimise flow.

Within a map there will be many flows of capital — information, risk, social or financial. Try to optimise this and remove bottlenecks.

Have a bias towards continual improvement.

Don't settle for as good as or slightly better than competitors. Always strive for the very best that can be achieved.

The speed at which you move around the cycle is important. An imperfect plan executed today is better than a perfect plan executed tomorrow.

Strategy is iterative. Adapt in fast cycles according to the changing environment. The best you can hope for is a direction and constant improvement.

Take responsibility for your environment, your actions within it and how you play the game. You won't learn by outsourcing your gameplay.

When it comes to inspiring others and providing direction, think big. Your purpose is not to defend a narrow pass but to achieve the broader mission.

There will be uncertainty, emerging patterns and surprises. Embrace this. What matters is not the plan but the preparation and your ability to adapt.

Once you've set a direction, commit to it. Don't abandon a direction because a single step is challenging. Find paths around obstacles.

Listen to others, be selfless, have fortitude and be humble. Inspire others by who you are and what you do. Avoid arrogance at all costs.

Use the landscape to your advantage. There are often powerful force multipliers. Not taking advantage should be a conscious choice.

Everything is transient. Whatever you think is core to your company won't be at some point in the future. The only things that are truly static are dead.

Understand that people have both aptitudes (e.g. finance, engineering) and different attitudes (pioneer, settler, town planner). The mindsets are different.

Use small teams and break large landscapes into small contracts.

Have a bias towards distributing power from the centre. Put power in the hands of those closest to the choices that need to be made.

Find and grow the best people with the best aptitude and attitude for their roles. Invest in keeping them.

Provide people with purpose and scope for action. Enable them to build mastery in their chosen area and give them the freedom and autonomy to act.

Create an organisational system which copes with the constant ebb and flow in the landscape. Changes should flow through your organisation without constant restructuring.

A company which plans for longevity needs to cope with discovery, industrialisation, and the transition between them. You will need different attitudes and therefore many cultures.