Service Blueprints are kind of like Icebergs, as the tip of the iceberg which is what you see is small, but the bottom of the iceberg, while not visible are massive and hold the top up

There is a difference however between a journey map and a service blueprint, they can look very similar, but they often reflect different perspectives on the same journey:

• Journey Maps focus on the customer's actions, thoughts and emotions.
• Service Blueprints are looking at the system level, and considering what needs to happen in the background in order to produce that customer

Blueprints are important as they make front stage interactions more efficient and can hide increased backstage burden.

What is a service blueprint

A service blueprint is a visual, chronological diagram that maps out an entire service process, connecting the customer journey with the behind-the-scenes actions of employees and systems. It details physical/digital touch-points, front-stage interactions, and back-stage processes to identify, improve, or design services.

Nielsen Norman Group

Key Components of a Service Blueprint:

Miro

• Customer Actions: Steps the customer takes during the service.
• Front-stage Actions: Direct interactions between employees/systems and the customer (e.g., receptionist, website). Making front-stage interactions more efficient can hide increased backstage burden you haven’t improved the service, you have just made the work invisible
• Backstage Actions: Actions employees take behind the scenes to support the service (e.g. inventory check).

Support Processes: Internal systems or tools that enable the service (e.g., software, IT systems).Physical Evidence: Tangible or digital artefacts used by customers/employees (e.g., receipts, physical space, app UI)

• Support Processes: Internal systems or tools that enable the service (e.g., software, IT systems).
• Physical Evidence: Tangible or digital artefacts used by customers/employees (e.g., receipts, physical space, app UI)

Making front-stage interactions more efficient can hide increased backstage burden you haven’t improved the service, you have just made the work invisible

Blueprints reveal

Dependencies - What needs to happen