BMAD-METHOD/docs/learn-wds/module-05-trigger-mapping/module-05-overview.md

# Module 05: Trigger Mapping

**Connect Business Goals to User Psychology**

[Watch the Module Introduction Video](https://youtu.be/xs_cRk-NoJk)

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## Module Overview

This module teaches you how to create a Trigger Map - the strategic bridge connecting what your business needs to what actually drives user behavior. Learn the proven methodology (20+ years of heritage), understand the 5 workshops, and discover how to map both positive and negative psychological drivers.

**Time:** 95-125 minutes (11 lessons)  
**Prerequisites:** Module 04 completed (Product Brief created)  
**What you'll create:** Complete Trigger Map with prioritized features

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## What You'll Learn

- Why jumping from brief to design fails (and what to do instead)
- The Effect Management heritage and WDS modernization
- The 3 strategic layers: Business Goals → Target Groups → Usage Goals
- How to run 5 workshops that map user psychology
- The power of negative driving forces (fears, frustrations)
- How to score features by strategic impact

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## Lessons

### [Lesson 1: The Missing Link](lesson-01-missing-link.md)

**Time:** 8-10 minutes

Why Product Brief alone isn't enough:

- The gap between strategy and design
- What happens when you skip user psychology
- How Trigger Mapping bridges business goals to user needs
- Real cost of designing without this foundation
- Your strategic insurance policy

### [Lesson 2: The Heritage & Evolution](lesson-02-heritage-evolution.md)

**Time:** 8-10 minutes

From Effect Management to Trigger Mapping:

- Effect Management methodology (inUse, Sweden)
- 20+ years of proven strategic design
- What WDS modernized (simplified map, negative drivers, feature scoring)
- The three strategic layers explained
- Why this approach works

### [Lesson 3: The Five Workshops Overview](lesson-03-five-workshops-overview.md)

**Time:** 10-12 minutes

Your roadmap to strategic clarity:

- The complete picture of all 5 workshops
- How each workshop builds on the previous one
- What you'll create at each stage
- What to expect when working with Saga
- Getting comfortable with the process

### [Lesson 4: Workshop 1 - Business Goals](lesson-04-workshop-1-business-goals.md)

**Time:** 8-10 minutes

Define what winning looks like:

- Understanding Vision (visionary statements) vs Strategic Objectives
- The bridging question: "What will we observe?"
- Creating strategic objectives using SMART method
- Workshop flow and key questions
- Foundation for all strategic decisions

### [Lesson 5: Workshop 2 - Target Groups](lesson-05-workshop-2-target-groups.md)

**Time:** 10-12 minutes

Who is ensuring our success?

- The core question: WHO will make sure, with their use of the product, that you achieve your goals
- Real people out there in the world (not abstract segments)
- Behavioral profiles vs demographics
- Creating rich personas with context
- Prioritizing by strategic value and product usage impact

### [Lesson 6: Workshop 3 - Driving Forces](lesson-06-workshop-3-driving-forces.md)

**Time:** 10-12 minutes

Map the psychology that drives behavior:

- Positive drivers (what users want to achieve)
- Negative drivers (what users want to avoid)
- Why negative drivers are more powerful (loss aversion)
- Emotional intensity and urgency
- Complete psychological profiles

### [Lesson 7: Workshop 4 - Prioritization](lesson-07-workshop-4-prioritization.md)

**Time:** 8-10 minutes

Rank what matters most:

- Prioritizing target groups by strategic value
- Prioritizing drivers by emotional intensity
- The prioritization cascade
- Creating focus for design efforts
- Foundation for feature scoring

### [Lesson 8: Workshop 5 - Feature Impact](lesson-08-workshop-5-feature-impact.md)

**Time:** 10-12 minutes

Score features by strategic impact:

- Systematic scoring (0-3 scale)
- Rating features against prioritized drivers
- Calculating total impact scores
- Creating data-driven roadmap
- Complete traceability from features to goals

### [Lesson 9: Positive & Negative Drivers](lesson-09-positive-negative-drivers.md)

**Time:** 10-12 minutes

Deep dive into the psychology that drives behavior:

- What are driving forces (positive and negative)
- Why negative drivers are more powerful (loss aversion)
- How to identify both types for each persona
- Generic examples across different contexts
- Avoiding surface-level "wants" statements

### [Lesson 10: The Visual Trigger Map](lesson-10-visual-trigger-map.md)

**Time:** 8-10 minutes

**The Four-Layer Structure:**
- Business Goals → Product/Solution → Target Groups → Usage Goals (Positive + Negative separated)

**What you'll learn:**ategic one-page document:

- What the Trigger Map looks like
- How to read and use it
- Why it stays relevant as features evolve
- How teams use it for alignment
- When to update it (and when not to)

### [Lesson 11: Feature Impact Scoring](lesson-11-feature-impact-scoring.md)

**Time:** 9-11 minutes

Deep dive into systematic feature prioritization:

- How the scoring system works in detail
- Rating features against prioritized drivers
- Calculating total impact scores
- Creating your ranked feature list
- Making data-driven design decisions

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## Tutorials

### [Tutorial 05: Create Your Trigger Map](tutorial-05.md)

**Full Trigger Mapping Process (Starting from Scratch)**

Step-by-step hands-on guide to creating your complete Trigger Map with Saga through all 5 workshops.

**Time:** 60-90 minutes  
**What you'll create:** Complete Trigger Map + scored feature list  
**Best for:** Major products, multiple user groups, comprehensive strategy, no existing documentation

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### [Tutorial 05B: Create a Slim Trigger Map](tutorial-05b-value-trigger-chain.md)

**Lightweight Alternative (Quick Validation)**

Quick strategic validation for focused user journeys — one business goal, one target group, key driving forces.

**Time:** 15-20 minutes  
**What you'll create:** Single-chain map from goal to trigger  
**Best for:** Smaller features, single journey, quick validation, time-constrained situations

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### [Tutorial 05C: Synthesize from Documentation](tutorial-05c-documentation-synthesis.md)

**Documentation Synthesis (Existing Research)**

Transform existing documentation into an actionable Trigger Map - validate and organize what you already have.

**Time:** 30-45 minutes  
**What you'll create:** Synthesized Trigger Map + gap analysis  
**Best for:** Extensive vision docs, user research, plans, or interviews that need to be made actionable

**Which tutorial should you use?** See [Lesson 2: Heritage & Evolution](lesson-02-heritage-evolution.md#three-approaches-choose-your-path) for guidance.

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## Key Concepts

**Trigger Mapping:**
- Strategic bridge from business goals to user psychology
- Based on 20+ years of Effect Management methodology
- Visual one-page map showing strategic connections
- Created through 5 structured workshops with Saga
- Includes both positive and negative psychological drivers

**The Three Strategic Layers:**
1. **Business Goals** - Your WHY (vision + SMART objectives)
2. **Target Groups** - The WHO (user types whose success drives yours)
3. **Usage Goals** - Their WHY (positive drivers + negative drivers)

**The Five Workshops:**
1. **Business Goals** - Define vision and measurable objectives
2. **Target Groups** - Identify and create personas
3. **Driving Forces** - Map positive and negative psychology
4. **Prioritization** - Rank groups and drivers by impact
5. **Feature Impact** - Score features against drivers

**WDS Modernization:**
- **Simplified:** Removed features from map (stays relevant longer)
- **Enhanced:** Added negative driving forces (fuller psychology)
- **Systematic:** Integrated feature scoring (data-driven decisions)

**Positive vs Negative Drivers:**
- **Positive:** What users want to achieve (goals, benefits, gains)
- **Negative:** What users want to avoid (fears, frustrations, pain)
- **Key insight:** People work harder to avoid pain than pursue gain

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## Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, you will:

- ✅ Understand why Trigger Mapping is essential before design
- ✅ Know the Effect Management heritage and WDS modernization
- ✅ Be able to facilitate all 5 Trigger Mapping workshops
- ✅ Understand how to identify positive and negative drivers
- ✅ Know how to create and use the visual Trigger Map
- ✅ Be able to score features by strategic impact
- ✅ Have confidence to create your own Trigger Map in 60-90 minutes

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## What You'll Create

**Core Deliverables:**
- ✅ Business Goals (vision + 3-5 SMART objectives)
- ✅ Target Groups (3-5 prioritized personas)
- ✅ Driving Forces (positive + negative for each persona)
- ✅ Priority Rankings (groups and drivers ranked)
- ✅ Visual Trigger Map (one-page strategic document)
- ✅ Feature Impact Analysis (scored and ranked feature list)

**Strategic Value:**
- Clear connection from business goals to user psychology
- Data-driven feature prioritization
- Team alignment around strategic priorities
- Foundation for all design decisions
- Traceable reasoning for every feature

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## Start Learning

**[Begin with Lesson 1: The Missing Link →](lesson-01-missing-link.md)**

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[← Back to Module 04: Product Brief](../module-04-product-brief/module-04-overview.md) | [Next: Module 06: Scenarios →](../module-06-scenarios/module-06-overview.md)

*Part of the WDS Course: From Designer to Linchpin*