Process complexity is shown simply by the number of steps in the process. The process of structuring a blueprint involves between five and seven steps, depending on the intended application. From the outset, the blueprint was designed to be seen from the customer's perspective while simultaneously providing insights for management. Accordingly, the starting point should be to imagine the customer's step-by-step contact points, indicating, where known, customer's expectations in terms of minimum tolerable waiting times for each step. Basic Service Blueprint Identify activities, sequence of activities and linkages between activities. Activities include (a) customer actions (b) front stage contact personnel actions (c) back stage contact personnel actions (d) support activities Identify line of visibility and add to blueprint. Identify standards and tolerances, scripts, operating procedures, supporting services and inventory for each step and add to blueprint. If required, draw additional lines such as line of physical interaction and line of IT interaction (optional, but recommended for complex services). Specify timeframes. Show average timing or minimum tolerable customer expectations for each step and indicate responsible personnel. Diagnostic Information (optional) Identify and note fail points and excessive waits. Manipulate divergence and complexity. Traditionally, service blueprints have been depicted with lines and text boxes to depict anything from user actions to support processes. Fail points, bottlenecks and average time taken for each step can also be added at the analyst's discretion. The amount of information included in the service blueprint largely depends on how it is to be used. Over the years, a system of commonly accepted symbols associated with service blueprints has been developed. Although blueprints are not difficult to prepare, there is no universal agreement about how to present the finished process map. Interpretation When interpreting service blueprints, there are two basic considerations, complexity and divergence. Complexity refers to the number and intricacy of the steps required to perform the service. A complex service process is one that has many steps. Divergence refers to the degree of latitude, freedom, judgment, discretion, variability or situational adaptation permitted within any step of the process. The number of call-out signs attached to steps is an indicator of a service process that allows wide latitude to vary steps in the service delivery process. Manipulations of the blueprint diagram might include increasing complexity, by adding more steps, or increasing divergence by allowing employees greater latitude in varying each step. In general, service processes that include high