Understanding Touchpoints, Moments of Truth, and Channels
Most teams waste hours trying to reconcile journey maps with process models because they treat them as separate artifacts. The real issue? They’re not aligning the human experience with operational logic. The shift? Start by treating touchpoints not as static moments, but as active triggers in a BPMN flow. This transforms experience design from storytelling into executable strategy.
I’ve spent over two decades helping organizations bridge the gap between customer emotions and back-office systems. What I’ve learned is this: when you map touchpoints directly into BPMN—such as using activities for customer-facing interactions or lanes for channels—you create models that both CX leaders and IT teams can trust and act on.
This chapter shows you how to define and represent touchpoints, moments of truth, and channels in ways that integrate naturally into BPMN. You’ll see real-world examples across web, mobile, phone, and in-person interactions, and learn how to avoid common modeling pitfalls that lead to confusion and misalignment.
What Are Touchpoints, Moments of Truth, and Channels?
Touchpoints: Where Experience Meets Action
Touchpoints are any point of interaction between a customer and a company. They’re not just buttons or screens—they’re moments of decision, expectation, or emotion.
Consider a customer clicking “Forgot Password” on a banking app. That’s not just a UI element. It’s a touchpoint where the customer expects clarity, security, and speed.
In BPMN, these are best modeled as **activities**—typically placed in a dedicated lane labeled “Customer” or “Frontline.” This makes the customer’s action explicit, and helps teams see where delays or confusion occur.
- Web**: Login form, chat widget, checkout button
- Mobile**: App notification, in-app purchase, biometric login
- Phone**: Call center IVR, agent handoff, callback request
- In-person**: In-store kiosk, cashier interaction, service advisor
Moments of Truth: The Crossroads of Experience
Moments of Truth are specific touchpoints with high emotional or decision-making weight. They’re where trust is built—or broken.
For instance, when a customer receives a confirmation email after a purchase, that’s a moment of truth. They’re now either reassured (“I did it”) or anxious (“Did it go through?”).
These should be modeled as **gateways** or **events** in BPMN, especially when they trigger a response or decision. Use a message event or intermediate throw event labeled “Customer Confirmation Sent” to mark the moment.
Here’s how to identify a moment of truth:
- Does the customer make a decision here?
- Is the outcome uncertain or emotionally charged?
- Would failure here damage trust or lead to churn?
- If yes to any, it’s a moment of truth.
Channels: The Pathways of Interaction
Channels are the delivery methods—web, mobile, phone, in-person—through which touchpoints are experienced.
Modeling channels in BPMN is not about duplicating logic. It’s about organizing the flow to show how different paths converge on the same outcome.
Use **lanes** to represent channels. For example:
| Channel | Best Practice in BPMN |
|---|---|
| Web | Group all web-based activities in a “Web Channel” lane |
| Mobile App | Use a separate lane for mobile actions |
| Call Center | Model agent interactions in “Customer Support” lane with a separate role |
| In-Person | Use a “Branch Service” lane for physical interactions |
These lanes don’t need to be separate pools. Often, a single pool with multiple lanes keeps the model clear and reusable.
How to Represent Touchpoints in Process Models
Touchpoints are not passive. They’re triggers for action. The key is to make them **active components** in your BPMN model.
Here’s a simple pattern:
- Start with the customer’s action as a task in the “Customer” lane.
- Follow with a message flow to the internal process lane.
- Use a gateway to model decision points like “Is the data valid?”
- End with a customer-facing response task.
This structure makes every touchpoint a visible, analyzable step—no more invisible handoffs.
Example: Password Reset Flow
Let’s walk through a real example.
- Activity (Customer Lane): User clicks “Forgot Password”
- Message Flow: Request sent to “Authentication Service”
- Gateway: Is email valid? → Yes → Send reset link
- Activity (Customer Lane): User receives email and opens it
- Message Flow: Clicks link → sends to “Reset Service”
- Gateway: Is token valid? → Yes → Show reset form
- Activity (Customer Lane): Enters new password
- Message Flow: Sends to backend
- Event (Customer Lane): Success message displayed
This model shows not just what happens, but where the customer is, what they’re doing, and when they experience uncertainty.
Why Channels in Customer Journeys Matter
Customers don’t see “processes.” They see channels. A user might start on mobile, continue on web, and finish via phone call.
When modeling, avoid treating each channel as a separate process. Instead, use a **single BPMN diagram** with lanes for each channel, and show how flows converge.
This reduces redundancy, ensures consistency, and helps answer questions like:
- Where is the bottleneck in the self-service path?
- Why do some customers switch from web to phone?
- What’s the average time between touchpoints?
By grouping touchpoints by channel, you can analyze performance per pathway and optimize where it matters most.
Best Practices for Modeling Touchpoints and Channels
- Use a customer-first lane: Always include a “Customer” lane to maintain the human perspective.
- Label actions clearly: Instead of “Activity 1,” write “Enters login details” or “Requests callback.”
- Use message flows for handoffs: Clearly show when a customer action triggers a backend process.
- Group by channel, not by system: A service might be used across channels—model the flow, not the tech.
- Annotate moments of truth: Use notes or color coding to highlight high-stakes interactions.
Remember: BPMN isn’t a technical diagram. It’s a shared language for experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a touchpoint and a moment of truth in BPMN?
A touchpoint is any interaction point—the “what.” A moment of truth is a high-stakes touchpoint where the customer decides whether to continue, trust, or leave. In BPMN, touchpoints are modeled as tasks. Moments of truth are often marked with gateways, events, or annotations to signal decision or emotional weight.
Can I use BPMN to model multi-channel customer journeys?
Absolutely. Use lanes to represent different channels (web, mobile, phone, in-person). Show how the customer moves between channels using message flows and shared data. Keep the core process in one diagram for clarity. You can also create a “channel layer” view that isolates each path.
How do I represent a moment of truth in BPMN?
Use an intermediate throw event labeled “Moment of Truth: Confirmation Sent” or a gateway with a decision condition like “Customer Confirmed? Yes/No.” Add a note to explain its significance—e.g., “This is where trust is established.”
Should I create separate BPMN diagrams for each channel?
No. That leads to duplication and inconsistency. Instead, use one diagram with lanes for each channel. If you must split, create a master diagram with a reference to the channel-specific ones. This keeps models aligned and easier to maintain.
How do I avoid clutter when modeling multiple channels?
Use groupings, annotations, and color coding. Limit each lane to key actions. Use swimlanes only when necessary. Keep the customer lane visible to anchor the journey. Remove redundant activities—especially those with the same logic across channels.
Can BPMN help me identify where customers abandon a journey?
Yes. Use boundary events on activities to capture exceptions like “User Leaves Page.” Use compensation events to model recovery paths. Track these in your BPMN model and link them to analytics. This turns experience insights into process changes.
