How to map the value exchange

Understand what the user gives and what they get back. If the give/get scale isn't balanced, tip it in their favor.

Action play: Pick one key interaction in your product and draw a quick map showing what value the user gives and what they receive in return.

Start with the user's input: their time, data, attention, or money. Then note what they get in exchange - clarity, progress, motivation, or reward.

Connect both sides with arrows to visualize the trade.

Example: In a fitness app, the user gives time, effort, and personal data to stay on track - and receives expert guidance, motivation, and visible progress that keeps them coming back.

Why: Every product is a value exchange. When users feel they give more than they get, they drop off. When they feel they get more than they give, they return - and tell others.

Mapping this balance helps you design experiences that feel fair, motivating, and worth sticking with. Aim to make the exchange feel unfair - in the user's favor.