Thread by @swardley

In business, almost everything that I come across which is called a map turns out to be a graph.

X : How do you explain the difference?
Me : In a map, space has meaning. You can't move a component without changing the context it is describing. It is because space has meaning in a map that they are useful for looking at landscapes whether geographical, business or political.

X : How do you work out that something is not a map?
Me : Take a node on the diagram and move it, keep any connections the same. If you can move components without changing meaning then it's unlikely to be a map.

X : What's your y-axis?
Me : It's not a normalised axis. It represents visibility within the chain which is a partial ordered list of needs. So, I often leave it off except when training.

X : So if you move things up or down then you are making a statement on how visible something is.
Me : within that bit of the chain, yes.

X : Isn't there a better y-axis?
Me : Absolutely. There will be a better way of mapping.

X : What about the x-axis? Isn't there ...
Me : ... a better way of mapping, yes. These are Babylonian Clay tablets i.e. lousy maps and people will find better ways of doing this.

X : According to you then Wardley maps are :-
a) imperfect because they are maps
b) wrong as they contain a model
c) they don't tell you what to do being a framework
d) and they're lousy?
Me : Yep.
X : You are dreadful at sales.
Me : They're also free.

X : How are undergound maps actually maps under your definition. Wouldn't they be graphs.
Me : Because they are a very special type of map where movement is constrained to the tube network itself.
X : Explain.
Me : Ok ...

... when you look at a map, you are normally constrained by the landscape i.e. you are free to choose any direction in that landscape. Your options are very broad ...

... in an underground map, you are constrained not by the geographic landscape but by the tube network itself i.e. the tube network is the landscape and your options are very limited.

So, when you look at an underground map, yes you can describe it as a graph but the graph is the landscape. There is no option beyond the graph. In this special case, graphs are maps because the landscape is the graph and no other choice exists.

X : So maps are about choices?
Me : Oh yes ... choices, options, possibilities etc.

X : What y-axis do you use in training?
Me : This one. It's good enough, it provides scaffolding but brings its own problems because it isn't really a normalised axis, it's within the chain.
X : Can you explain more?

... how hot the cup of tea is will be more visible than the power used to make the hot water for the cup of tea ... but ...

... you can make the power more visible by following another path ... hence a normalised y-axis doesn't really fit, the visibility is within the chain itself ...

... as people get comfortable, they often drop the y-axis as visibility is in the chain ...

... you can still leave it there or give an arrow for a sense of direction. Just remember, visibility is in the chain.

X : Why is the kettle custom built?
Me : It shouldn't be but then that's the point of map, exposing assumptions that others can challenge.