Module 02 · 20 min
Experience mapping
An experience map captures what it feels like to use a competitor app step by step. You record feelings, experiences, and expectations — based on your own use as a user.
Categorise your feelings
At each stage, mark how the app made you feel, then write what happened and what you expected.
- Very happy
- Overall satisfied
- Unhappy
Common stages to map
For a shopping app, these stages cover most of the journey. Adjust the list if your topic is different.
- App installation
- Sign up
- Shopping
- Payment
Example: Amazon experience map notes
Use three columns: activities, feelings, and expectations. Write short notes from real use.
What competitor analysis cannot tell you
A competitive analysis tells you what exists, not why it exists. You might see a long feature list and still not know which features people value most.
To understand why people behave as they do, you need user research — the next module. Competitor work and user research work together.