About wardley
A strategic planning skill for mapping a user need to the components that support it, then assessing their visibility and evolution. It guides teams through value chains, movement, build-versus-buy choices, and recommendations.
Key features
- 01Map value chains from user needs
- 02Assess component visibility and evolution
- 03Analyze movement and inertia
- 04Compare build and buy choices
- 05Produce strategic recommendations
Use cases
- 01Map dependencies behind a user need
- 02Identify components evolving toward commodity
- 03Review build-versus-buy decisions
Install
Copy the command and run it in a terminal.
npx skills add https:/After installing, type/wardleyin Claude Code to confirm it loaded.
Details
From the project READMEWardley Map
Create a strategic map showing components positioned by their evolution stage and visibility in the value chain.
Instructions
Identify the user need, map the value chain of components required to meet it, and position each component on the evolution axis.
Output Format
Context: [What situation we're mapping] User: [Who the user is] User Need: [What they're trying to accomplish]
Value Chain Identification
Working backward from user need:
| Component | Depends On | Visibility |
|---|---|---|
| [User Need] | [what it requires] | High (User-facing) |
| [Component A] | [what it requires] | High/Med/Low |
| [Component B] | [what it requires] | High/Med/Low |
| [Infrastructure] | [base requirements] | Low (Hidden) |
Evolution Assessment
| Component | Evolution Stage | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| [Component A] | Genesis / Custom / Product / Commodity | [Why at this stage] |
| [Component B] | Genesis / Custom / Product / Commodity | [Why at this stage] |
Evolution Indicators:
- Genesis: Novel, poorly understood, no standard, high uncertainty
- Custom: Emerging practices, divergent approaches, experimentation
- Product: Feature differentiation, rental/purchase models, scalable
- Commodity: Standardized, utility pricing, essential but undifferentiated
The Map
VISIBLE │
TO │ [User Need]
USER │ │
│ ▼
│ [Component A]
│ │
│ ▼
INVISIBLE│ [Component B]
│
└──────┬──────┬──────┬──────┬──────►
GENESIS CUSTOM PRODUCT COMMODITY
I II III IV
Movement Analysis
What's evolving rightward?
| Component | Current Stage | Evolving Toward |
|---|---|---|
| [component] | [stage] | [next stage] |
Inertia Points
- [Component with inertia] — [why we might resist]
Strategic Analysis
Build vs. Buy
| Component | Recommendation | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| [Genesis/Custom] | Build | Differentiator |
| [Commodity] | Buy | Commodity, not differentiating |
Competitive Dynamics
Our differentiators (left side of map):
- [Component we do differently]
Commoditization threats:
- [Component becoming commodity]
Recommendations
Short-term actions:
- [Action based on map insights]
What to stop doing:
- [Component to outsource/buy instead of build]
Key Insight:
[Main strategic takeaway from the mapping exercise]
Guidelines
- Always start with user need
- Everything evolves left to right (genesis → commodity)
- Build on the left (differentiation), buy on the right (commodity)
- Watch for inertia—past success creates resistance to change
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