Wardley Maps (v11.14.0+)

WARNING

Wardley maps are in beta. Diagrams start with the wardley-beta keyword, and the syntax may still change in a backwards-incompatible way before it is declared stable.

Wardley Maps are visual representations of business strategy that map value chains and component evolution. They help identify strategic opportunities, dependencies, and guide technology decisions.

Introduction

Wardley Maps position components along two axes:

• Visibility (Y-axis): How visible/valuable a component is to users (0.0 = infrastructure, 1.0 = user-facing)
• Evolution (X-axis): How evolved/mature a component is (0.0 = genesis/novel, 1.0 = commodity/utility)

This dual positioning enables strategic analysis of:

• Value chain dependencies
• Evolution of components over time
• Build vs. buy decisions
• Inertia and resistance to change

Basic Example

Code:

wardley-beta
title Tea Shop Value Chain

anchor Business [0.95, 0.63]
component Cup of Tea [0.79, 0.61]
component Tea [0.63, 0.81]
component Hot Water [0.52, 0.80]
component Kettle [0.43, 0.35]
component Power [0.10, 0.70]

Business -> Cup of Tea
Cup of Tea -> Tea
Cup of Tea -> Hot Water
Hot Water -> Kettle
Kettle -> Power

evolve Kettle 0.62
evolve Power 0.89

note "Standardising power allows Kettles to evolve faster" [0.30, 0.49]

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Syntax

Diagram Declaration

Every Wardley diagram starts with the wardley-beta keyword:

Code:

wardley-beta
title Your Map Title
size [1100, 600]

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• wardley-beta - Required diagram type identifier (beta release)
• title - Optional title displayed at top
• size - Optional canvas dimensions in pixels (default: [1100, 600])

Coordinate System

IMPORTANT: Wardley Maps use the OnlineWardleyMaps (OWM) format: [visibility, evolution]

• First value (Visibility): 0.0-1.0 (bottom to top) - Y-axis position
• Second value (Evolution): 0.0-1.0 (left to right) - X-axis position

This is opposite of typical (x, y) notation!

Code:

wardley-beta
title Coordinate Examples

component Infrastructure [0.30, 0.20]        %% Low visibility, low evolution
component Product [0.70, 0.60]               %% High visibility, mid evolution
component User Need [0.90, 0.95]             %% High visibility, high evolution

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Components and Anchors

Components

component Name [visibility, evolution]
component Name [visibility, evolution] label [offsetX, offsetY]
component Name [visibility, evolution] (decorator)

Example:

Code:

wardley-beta
title Components

component API [0.60, 0.70]
component Database [0.40, 0.85] label [-50, 10]
component "Custom Service" [0.55, 0.35]

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Names may contain hyphens (real-time processing, end-user) without quoting. Quote a name only if it begins with a non-letter or contains a character the grammar does not otherwise accept.

Code:

wardley-beta
title Hyphenated Names

component real-time processing [0.55, 0.40]
component end-user [0.90, 0.95]

end-user -> real-time processing

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Anchors

Anchors represent users or customers with bold labels:

Code:

wardley-beta
title Anchors

anchor Customer [0.90, 0.95]
anchor Business [0.85, 0.90]

component Service [0.70, 0.75]

Customer -> Service
Business -> Service

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Decorators

Inertia

Mark components resistant to change:

Code:

wardley-beta
title Inertia

component Legacy System [0.45, 0.40] (inertia)
component New Platform [0.65, 0.45]

Legacy System -> New Platform

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Source Strategy

Indicate build/buy/outsource decisions:

• (build) - Triangle symbol
• (buy) - Diamond symbol
• (outsource) - Square symbol
• (market) - Circle symbol

Code:

wardley-beta
title Sourcing Strategy

anchor Customer [0.80, 0.95]
component Custom App [0.45, 0.85] (build)
component Off-the-shelf Tool [0.85, 0.65] (buy)
component Managed Service [0.60, 0.40] (outsource)
component Cloud Platform [0.95, 0.25] (market)

Customer -> Custom App
Custom App -> Off-the-shelf Tool
Custom App -> Managed Service
Off-the-shelf Tool -> Cloud Platform

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Links and Dependencies

A -> B              %% Basic dependency
A --> B             %% Basic dependency (alternative style)
A -> B; label       %% With annotation
A -.-> B            %% Dashed flow
A +> B              %% Flow (with arrow marker)
A +< B              %% Reverse flow
A +<> B             %% Bi-directional flow
A +'text'> B        %% Labeled flow

Example:

Code:

wardley-beta
title Link Types

component User [0.90, 0.95]
component App [0.75, 0.75]
component API [0.60, 0.60]
component Cache [0.65, 0.45]
component Database [0.15, 0.80]

User -> App
App +> API
API -> Database
API +<> Cache
Cache +'backup'> Database

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Evolution and Movement

Evolution Arrows

Show component evolution with red dashed arrows:

Code:

wardley-beta
title Evolution

component Database [0.40, 0.50]
component API [0.55, 0.60]

Database -> API

evolve Database 0.75
evolve API 0.80

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Trend Indicators

Show predicted future position:

Component -.- (x, y)

Note: Trends use standard (x, y) order, not [visibility, evolution]!

Pipelines

Pipeline components share visibility and only vary by evolution:

Code:

wardley-beta
title Pipeline Evolution

component Database [0.40, 0.60]

pipeline Database {
  component "File System" [0.25]
  component "SQL DB" [0.50]
  component "NoSQL" [0.70]
  component "Cloud DB" [0.85]
}

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Custom Evolution Stages

Define custom axis labels:

Code:

wardley-beta
title Custom Stages

evolution Unmodelled -> Divergent -> Convergent -> Modelled

component Raw Data [0.15, 0.20]
component Analysis [0.45, 0.50]
component Reports [0.75, 0.70]

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Dual Labels

Code:

wardley-beta
title Dual Label Stages

evolution Genesis / Concept -> Custom / Emerging -> Product / Converging -> Commodity / Accepted

component Novel Idea [0.05, 0.20]
component Custom Solution [0.35, 0.50]
component Product [0.65, 0.70]
component Utility [0.95, 0.90]

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Custom Stage Widths

Specify custom boundary widths using @ notation:

Code:

wardley-beta
title Custom Widths

evolution Genesis@0.2 -> Custom@0.4 -> Product@0.75 -> Commodity@1.0

component Novel [0.75, 0.15]
component Bespoke [0.70, 0.35]
component Product [0.65, 0.65]
component Utility [0.60, 0.90]

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Annotations and Notes

Notes

Add contextual notes at specific coordinates:

note "text" [visibility, evolution]

Note: Text must be enclosed in quotes.

Code:

wardley-beta
title Notes

component API [0.60, 0.70]
component Database [0.40, 0.50]

API -> Database

note "Critical decision point" [0.65, 0.55]
note "High risk area" [0.40, 0.35]

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Numbered Annotations

Create numbered references with optional annotation box:

annotations [x, y]              # Optional: position for annotation numbers
annotation number,[x, y] "text"

Note: Annotation text must be enclosed in quotes.

Code:

wardley-beta
title Annotations

component API [0.60, 0.70]
component Cache [0.50, 0.55]
component Database [0.40, 0.40]

API -> Cache
Cache -> Database

annotations [0.10, 0.90]
annotation 1,[0.60, 0.65] "Critical component"
annotation 2,[0.50, 0.50] "Performance layer"
annotation 3,[0.40, 0.35] "Data persistence"

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Visual Elements

Accelerators and Deaccelerators

Forces affecting evolution:

Code:

wardley-beta
title Forces

component Legacy [0.20, 0.85]
component Modern [0.55, 0.60]
component AI [0.70, 0.35]

Legacy -> Modern
Modern -> AI

accelerator "AI Adoption" [0.55, 0.25]
deaccelerator "Legacy Constraints" [0.15, 0.75]

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Advanced Features

Label Positioning

Fine-tune label placement:

component Name [visibility, evolution] label [offsetX, offsetY]

Negative X moves left, positive X moves right. Negative Y moves up, positive Y moves down.

Custom Canvas Size

Code:

wardley-beta
title Custom Size
size [800, 1000]

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Complete Example

Code:

wardley-beta
title Software Platform Strategy
size [1100, 800]

evolution Genesis@0.25 -> Custom@0.5 -> Product@0.75 -> Commodity@1.0

anchor Customer [0.90, 0.95]

component "Mobile App" [0.80, 0.85] (build)
component "Web App" [0.75, 0.80] label [-60, 10] (build)
component "API Gateway" [0.70, 0.65] (buy)
component "Auth Service" [0.60, 0.55] (outsource)
component "Database" [0.50, 0.45] (buy) (inertia)
component "Cloud Platform" [0.30, 0.95] (market)

Customer -> "Mobile App"
Customer -> "Web App"
"Mobile App" -> "API Gateway"
"Web App" -> "API Gateway"
"API Gateway" -> "Auth Service"
"API Gateway" -> "Database"
"Database" -> "Cloud Platform"

evolve "API Gateway" 0.85
evolve "Database" 0.75

accelerator "Cloud Native" [0.20, 0.85]
deaccelerator "Legacy Data" [0.45, 0.35]

annotations [0.10, 0.20]
annotation 1,[0.78, 0.82] "User touchpoints"
annotation 2,[0.70, 0.60] "Integration layer"
annotation 3,[0.50, 0.40] "Data persistence"

note "Build mobile-first experience" [0.85, 0.90]
note "Migrate to cloud-native database" [0.60, 0.50]

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Configuration

Wardley Maps support Mermaid's theme system. Use standard Mermaid configuration to customize appearance.

Resources

• Wardley Mapping Book by Simon Wardley
• OnlineWardleyMaps - Interactive mapping tool
• Wardley Maps Community
• Learn Wardley Mapping

Syntax Summary

Element	Syntax	Example
Diagram	wardley-beta	wardley-beta
Title	title Text	title My Map
Size	size [width, height]	size [1100, 800]
Component	component Name [vis, evo]	component API [0.6, 0.7]
Anchor	anchor Name [vis, evo]	anchor User [0.9, 0.95]
Link	A -> B	API -> Database
Flow	A +> B	User +> API
Evolve	evolve Name targetEvo	evolve API 0.85
Note	note "Text" [vis, evo]	note "Key insight" [0.4, 0.5]
Annotation	annotation N,[x,y] "Text"	annotation 1,[0.5,0.5] "Critical"
Inertia	(inertia)	component DB [0.4, 0.6] (inertia)
Strategy	(build|buy|outsource|market)	component API [0.6, 0.7] (buy)
Pipeline	pipeline Parent { ... }	See pipeline example above
Evolution	evolution Stage1 -> Stage2 -> ...	See evolution examples above

Limitations

• Handdrawn/rough mode (look: handDrawn) is not currently supported for Wardley Maps. The diagram uses a custom D3 renderer rather than the shared shape system.