Impact Mapping
What is impact mapping?
Impact mapping is a visual product management planning technique that helps teams align their efforts with a clear understanding of the desired outcomes and their impact on an organization or project. It is often used in agile and lean product development environments.
At its core, impact mapping is a visual framework that provides a structured way to connect high-level business goals with actionable tasks. It focuses on the “who, “what”, “why”, and “how” behind a product. It’s a strategic planning tool tool helps teams to define and prioritize their objectives and the steps needed to achieve them.
Impact mapping was introduced by software development consultant Gojko Adzic in his 2012 book of the same name. It is similar in basic concept to the mind mapping process, however, it constrains the structure to specific questions and categories.
The main components of impact mapping include your business goals, the intended goal of the software or product, the relevant actors, their goals and potential impacts, desired user behaviors and outcomes, and the possible product features or actions required to meet the stated goals.
Impact mapping is particularly relevant to product managers as it provides a clear visual framework for the product development team. It helps you to make informed decisions about which features to prioritize, based on their impact on your business.
By focusing on the desired impacts and aligning them with user behaviors, impact mapping ensures that your product team is building something that will truly create value for the users and the business.
How can impact mapping help product managers?
The purpose of impact mapping is to connect the dots between a company’s overarching business goal and the actions needed to achieve that goal. It helps product managers identify the key actors involved, their underlying goals, and the possible user behaviors that will lead to the desired business impacts.
This process helps you to prioritize features and outcomes that will have the most significant impact on the business. It can also be very useful when moving into a new product management job, providing much-needed context for an otherwise overwhelming amount of ideas and potential features.
Some more ways it can help you as a product manager include:
1. Providing clear goals and objectives
Impact mapping ensures that you, as a product manager, have a solid understanding of the organization’s strategic goals. This clarity helps you to make informed decisions about which product features or enhancements will best contribute to those goals.
Through the process of defining measurable outcomes, product managers can set clear and quantifiable success criteria. This not only helps in tracking progress but also in evaluating the impact of the product on the business.
2. Encouraging stakeholder engagement
Impact mapping encourages collaboration between product managers, development teams, and stakeholders. By involving these groups in the mapping process, you can gain insights into stakeholder needs and expectations, reducing the chances of misalignment or misunderstandings.
When stakeholders actively participate in creating the impact map, they gain a shared understanding of the project’s objectives and priorities. By conducting multiple impact mapping workshops with different groups, you can also pick out and adjust for potential biases that might be influencing areas where the maps differ.
3. Focusing on impact
Product managers are reminded to focus on the impact of product features on end-users. Instead of merely collecting a laundry list of feature requests, they can prioritize based on the behavioral changes and benefits these features will bring to users.
Impact mapping encourages the use of data and evidence to support decision-making. Product managers can rely on data to validate assumptions and prioritize initiatives that are most likely to drive desired outcomes.
4. Simplifying scope management
One common challenge in product management is feature creep, where the scope of a project keeps expanding far beyond the original idea. Impact mapping helps product managers identify and communicate what not to do by keeping the focus on initiatives that directly contribute to the desired outcomes.
By defining the scope based on impact, product managers can allocate resources more efficiently. They can direct development efforts toward high-impact features and avoid spending time and resources on low-impact or unnecessary tasks.
5. Aiding with alignment
Impact mapping fosters alignment between different functional areas of an organization, such as marketing, development, and sales. It ensures that all teams are working toward a common goal and have a shared understanding of how their efforts contribute to that goal.
As circumstances change or new opportunities arise, impact maps can be updated to reflect shifting priorities. This adaptability allows product managers to respond to market changes and evolving business needs effectively.
Impact mapping can be a helpful tool that helps product managers align product development with business goals, fosters collaboration, and prioritizes features based on their impact. By using impact mapping, product managers can ensure the delivery of meaningful outcomes and effectively plan their products’ strategic direction.
What are the drawbacks of impact mapping?
While impact mapping is a valuable technique for aligning projects with strategic objectives, it is not without its challenges. It’s essential to strike a balance between the benefits of clear alignment and the potential complexities and subjectivity inherent in the process.
Additionally, regular reviews and updates to the impact map can help address changing circumstances and evolving project needs.
1. Complex and time-consuming
Creating a comprehensive impact map can be a complex and time-consuming endeavor, especially for larger projects or organizations with multiple stakeholders. It requires thoughtful analysis and thorough documentation.
The process of involving various stakeholders, gathering data, and creating a detailed map can be resource-intensive. This can be a challenge for smaller teams or organizations with limited resources.
2. Subjectivity
The process of creating an impact map can be influenced by biases and assumptions. Stakeholders may have differing opinions on objectives and desired outcomes, leading to potential conflicts or misalignments.
Despite efforts to base decisions on data, some elements of impact mapping are inherently subjective, particularly when predicting user behavior or estimating the impact of initiatives.
3. Maintenance and adaptation
Impact maps may require regular updates to reflect changing objectives, stakeholder needs, or market conditions. Failing to keep the map up-to-date can lead to misalignment with business goals.
Some team members or stakeholders may resist changes to the impact map, particularly if it means deprioritizing or shelving initiatives they are personally invested in.
4. Not a guarantee of success
While impact mapping helps in prioritizing work and focusing on high-impact initiatives, it doesn’t guarantee project success. Effective execution, technical challenges, market dynamics, and other factors still play a significant role in achieving objectives.
External factors such as economic shifts, regulatory changes, or unexpected competition can impact the success of a project, regardless of how well it aligns with the impact map.
5. Resource allocation challenges
Prioritizing initiatives based on their potential impact may lead to resource allocation challenges. Some essential but less glamorous tasks may get deprioritized, potentially causing bottlenecks or technical debt.
There can be tension between short-term goals that deliver immediate results and long-term initiatives that have a more significant impact but take longer to implement. Striking the right balance can be challenging.
6. Dependency management
Managing dependencies between initiatives can become complex, especially in large projects. If not handled well, this complexity can lead to delays and coordination challenges.
Despite careful planning, some dependencies may only become apparent during the execution phase, potentially causing disruptions to the project timeline.
While impact mapping offers several benefits, it is important to recognize that there are also potential drawbacks and challenges that organizations may face when implementing this technique.
How to create an impact map
Creating an impact map begins with determining the intended goal for the software or product and aligning it with the overarching business goal. This helps prioritize the areas where the product’s impact can be the most significant.
The next step is identifying the key actors and their goals related to a specific business problem or opportunity. By engaging stakeholders in a collaborative conversation on goals, product managers can gain valuable insights and ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Once the goals are established and actors identified, the next step is to map out the user behaviors that will lead to those goals being achieved. This includes identifying user segments, their behaviors, and the desired outcomes they should experience.
With these pieces in place, the impact map can be created, showcasing the relationships between actors, goals, behaviors, and outcomes. This visual representation serves as a guide to the impact mapping process and helps product managers make informed decisions about the features and outcomes to prioritize in their product development.
Step 1: Why? – Establish your goals
Start by clearly articulating the high-level objectives or goals that your product aims to achieve. These objectives should be closely aligned with the strategic goals of your organization or business. Objectives should answer the question: “What are we trying to achieve?”
For each objective, specify measurable outcomes or key results that will indicate success. These outcomes should be quantifiable and time-bound. Examples of measurable outcomes include: increased revenue by 20% within six months; a 15% boost in user engagement; or achieving a Net Promoter Score of 8 or higher.
Defining goals in impact mapping allows teams to have a clear understanding of what they are trying to achieve, and enables you to make strategic decisions based on those goals. Without well-defined goals, teams may end up building features without a clear purpose or connection to the business outcomes they are trying to achieve.
Step 2: Who? – Identify the primary actors
Identify the primary actors or stakeholders who will be impacted by or have an influence on your project. These stakeholders can include customers, end-users, internal teams, external partners, or regulatory bodies. Create a list of these stakeholders to provide a clear picture of who you need to consider when planning your initiative.
The primary actors can include various stakeholders such as product team members, delivery teams, and business execs. You, as the product manager, are responsible for understanding customer behavior and defining the product goal based on the business goal.
Delivery teams, on the other hand, are responsible for the actual development and delivery of the software. They collaborate with you to understand the user segment and work towards delivering features that align with the business and product goals.
Business people, including executives or external stakeholders, have a broader perspective on the business goal. They contribute by providing strategic input, guidance on the bigger picture, and ensuring that the software aligns with the overarching business goal and objectives.
Step 3: How? – Determine the desired changes in behavior
For each primary actor or stakeholder identified, specify the specific changes in behavior or actions you want to see as a result of your product or feature. This step focuses on understanding the “how” aspect of achieving your objectives. For example, if you’re developing a mobile app, you might want users to sign up, engage daily, and make in-app purchases.
To determine the desired changes in behavior, it is essential to understand the customer behavior and their needs. This involves conducting research and gathering insights into how users currently interact with a product or service. By understanding their behavior, it becomes easier to identify areas where improvements or changes are required.
Consider any dependencies or prerequisites for the desired behavior changes. Understanding these dependencies can help you plan your initiatives more effectively. For instance, if you want users to make in-app purchases, you may need to first ensure a smooth onboarding process and provide them with value to encourage engagement.
Step 4: What? – Decide what you need to do to make it happen
Brainstorm and identify the specific initiatives or actions that will drive the desired behavior changes among your primary actors. These initiatives could include developing new features, improving existing ones, launching marketing campaigns, conducting user training, or implementing process changes. Each initiative should directly support the desired behavioral changes.
Once you have a list of initiatives, prioritize them based on their potential to impact the desired outcomes. Consider factors like feasibility, resource availability, and the expected impact on achieving the objectives. This step helps in determining the order in which initiatives should be executed.
Create a visual representation of your impact map. Typically, it is structured as a tree diagram with objectives at the top, followed by primary actors, desired behavior changes, and initiatives branching out from each level. Visualizing the map helps in communicating the plan effectively and ensures that everyone involved has a clear understanding of the project’s direction.
Keep your impact map up-to-date by regularly reviewing and revising it as needed. Objectives may change, stakeholder needs may evolve, or new opportunities may arise. Periodic review ensures that your plan remains aligned with the dynamic nature of your business environment.
Creating an impact map is a structured and iterative process that enables product managers and teams to align their efforts with strategic objectives, understand how they will impact stakeholders, and prioritize initiatives based on their potential to drive desired outcomes. It serves as a valuable visual tool for effective communication, planning, and decision-making throughout the project or product development lifecycle.
