📄️ Anchor
Every map starts with an anchor—the user or stakeholder need. This sets the context for all dependencies and components below.
📄️ Component
A component is any situation-relevant thing on a Wardley Map. Components can be activities (what you do), practices (how you do it), data, or knowledge. There is no single right level of granularity—if something is important, it deserves a symbol on the map. Components can be broken down into smaller components as needed.
📄️ Links & Flows
Links (or flows) represent dependencies between components. In Wardley Mapping, a component higher on the map depends on a component lower down. These dependencies form the value chain, showing how needs are met through supporting capabilities.
📄️ Evolution
The evolution axis (horizontal) shows how components move from genesis (novel, unpredictable) to commodity (well-known, ubiquitous). Mapping the stage of evolution helps you understand certainty, market maturity, and strategic options.
📄️ Inertia
Inertia represents resistance to change for components on your Wardley Map. Components marked with inertia indicate areas where change is slow or difficult.
📄️ Pipeline
A pipeline represents a flow or process that connects components across stages of evolution. Pipelines are used to simplify the notation of complex requirement chains, making maps easier to read and understand.
📄️ Build, Buy, Outsource
Build, Buy, Outsource are execution strategies for components. They help you highlight how a component will be delivered—whether you will build it in-house, buy it from a supplier, or outsource it to a third party.
📄️ Market & Ecosystem
A market is a special type of component that represents a market context or environment in your map. Markets help you visualize where competition, maturity, and commoditization are taking place.
📄️ Accelerators & Deaccelerators
Accelerators and deaccelerators are special map elements that help visualize forces of change on your Wardley Map.
📄️ Pioneers, Settlers, & Town Planners (PST)
Wardley Maps support the visualization of organizational structure and evolution using the Pioneers, Settlers, and Town Planners (PST) model. These elements help you represent teams or roles responsible for different stages of evolution.
📄️ Notes
Notes are versatile text elements that you can place anywhere on your map to add information, context, or reminders. They can be used to clarify intent, highlight risks, record insights, create legends, or provide additional context for your map.
📄️ Annotations
Annotations allow you to add numbered notes or comments to specific locations on your Wardley Map.
📄️ Submaps & URLs
A submap allows you to link a component to another Wardley Map or an external resource. This is useful for breaking down complex systems into manageable parts, or for referencing related maps and documentation.