Business Origami

Purpose

Business Origami creates a tangible, table-top model of a service ecosystem using simple paper cut-outs representing people, devices, channels, and information flows. By physically placing and connecting these elements, teams build a shared mental model of how a system works, identify gaps, and explore "what if" changes by moving pieces around.

At a glance

• Group size: 4–10
• Duration: 45 minutes
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Facilitation style: Hands-on collaborative modelling
• Setting: Large table with paper cut-outs and string/yarn for connections

How to run

1. Prepare cut-outs (beforehand or 5 min): Create paper icons for people (customer, employee, partner), devices (phone, laptop, kiosk), places (store, office, home), and information objects (email, report, notification).
2. Place actors and touchpoints (10 min): Each team member places cut-outs on the table to represent the current system. Start with the customer and work outward.
3. Draw connections (10 min): Use string, yarn, or drawn lines to show information and value flows between elements. Label each flow.
4. Narrate the journey (10 min): Walk through a customer scenario step by step, following the connections. Note where flows are missing, redundant, or confusing.
5. Explore changes (10 min): Move pieces, add new elements, or remove connections to model proposed changes. Discuss the impact of each modification.
6. Capture the model (5 min): Photograph the final layout. Summarise key findings and proposed changes.

Materials needed

• Paper cut-outs (icons) in different shapes/colours for different actor types
• String, yarn, or ribbon for connections
• Labels or small sticky notes for flow descriptions
• Large table or floor space
• Camera for documentation

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• Too many elements: Start simple. You can always add complexity. Too many pieces create confusion.
• No scenario: The model needs a story to walk through. Without one, it’s just a static diagram.
• Ignoring backstage: Include internal systems and employees, not just customer-facing elements.
• Not photographing: These models are ephemeral. Capture before cleanup.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Use distinct shapes (not just colours) for different element types for colour-blind participants.
• Allow verbal contributions for participants who find physical manipulation difficult.
• Use a table height accessible to wheelchair users.

Variations

• Digital business origami: Use a digital whiteboard with drag-and-drop icons for remote teams.
• Future-state origami: Build the desired system model and compare with the current state.
• Competitive origami: Model a competitor’s service system alongside yours to identify gaps.

When NOT to use this

• When the system is too large for table-top modelling (>30 elements) — use a digital tool.
• When the team has no understanding of the current system — do research first.
• When precision matters more than shared understanding — use formal system diagrams.

Source & further reading

• Hitachi Design Centre — original Business Origami method
• Stickdorn, Hormess, Lawrence & Schneider — *This Is Service Design Doing* (O’Reilly, 2018)
• Polaine, Løvlie & Reason — *Service Design: From Insight to Implementation* (Rosenfeld Media, 2013)