@roblogie: No responses.

You can build up a reasonably satisfying 'map' with a plan view that uses tree display on a planning timeline that includes as many iterations as you want to plan out.

Use epics or plan items to represent the "application/theme/functionality" mentioned in the article.

Parent your stories to the above epics or plan items to approximate the grouping mentioned:

"First we group the stories by application/theme/functionality and create the grid."

By using 'Tree' Parent->Child display for the Plan View you'll see the group names repeated in each iteration that includes a planned child story.

Now as you assign your stories to target iterations (sprints in the article) you start to see what elements of each grouping will be delivered in each. It's not visually as easy to digest as the story map in the article, but it's showing much the same info and you don't have to worry about the glue on your sticky notes losing their 'stick'.

The whole exercise quickly descends towards waterfall, but it'll make the planner in you feel like you've accomplished something! :-)

Throw in 'Accumulated Time' as a displayed column and it can be like a Gantt-ish methodone to your MS Project junkie colleagues.