Kenji and I made a 4 minute demo video to show how to create an Impact Mapping. In this video, I play a role who wants to create a game, and Kenji helps me to make an Impact Map of this project from setting the “Goal” of the project, then visualising the “Actors” who can influence the outcome, “Impacts”, that can change those actors behaviours to achieve the goal, and “Deliverables”, software features and organisational activities. Take a look! (English caption is added and also transcript is available on the page here)
[Transcript]
I am Kenji Hiranabe. Today I am going to talk about “Impact Mapping” and demonstrated by Astah.
Suppose you have an idea and you are making a service or product by developing a piece of software. If you are a developer, you often tend to focus on features of the software. but in order for your idea to succeed, you have to step back and make sure that you think not about the features but about the “impacts” of the software that affects people’s behavior.
“Impact Mapping” is a way of visualising connections among “Business goal” and relevant people called “Actors” the impacts to their behaviors. and the ‘features’ of the product called “deliverables”. Impact Mapping helps you concentrate your effort to the shortest path to success. by creating maximum impact by minimum software. Ok, let’s see the demo!
Kenji (K): I’m here to interview with Satomi about her new product. Hi Satomi!
Satomi (S): Hi Kenji
K: So I heard that you are making a new product.
S: Yes, that’s correct.
K: What kind of a product is it?
S: It is a role playing game.
K: Let’s try “Impact Mapping” for that. First of all, what’s the business goal this time?
S: To get 1 million players.
K: Then I will put “1 million players” at the center of the map. What kind of people are involved to the achievement to the goal?
S: First, they will be “Players”.
K: Obviously.
S: And second, there will be “Internals” like us, “developers” of the product and “marketing team”.
K: So Actors will be “Players” and “Internals” divided into “Dev. team” and “Marketing team”.
K: Then let’s focus on “Players” first. What kind of impacts do you want them to make to achieve the goal?
S: We want them to invite their friends to play the game that increases the players.
K: Good idea. What others?
S: We want them to recommend that the game is cool and good.
K: So impacts would be “Invite friends” and “Recommendation”.
K: So about “Invite Friends”, what kind of features or I would say “Deliverables’ you can think of to make that impact?
S: Nice simple feature would be “Auto-invite”
K: I see that’s simple. What others?
S: We want “incentives” for the players to invite their friends incentives like… kudos or stars or some kind of recognitions.
K: They get kudos when they invite friends.
S: Yes, more friends they invite, they get more recognitions.
K: What about “Recommendation”?
S: Recommendation. Nice feature would be posting the screenshots of the game when they clear the stage.
K: Awesome photos. To the SNS or… ?
S: Yes, on SNS like Facebook, Twitter automatically, so that other people can see cool pictures that make them want to play too.
K: This will be the “Impact Map”!
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If you are in the business side, this Impact Map will also help you communicate the business intentions to the development team.
Next time I will show you how to create user stories or UseCases from this Impact Map. Until then. See you!
If you would like to try Impact Mapping, start with Astah, we have made a template for a quick start!
Cheers,
SJ
Astah in 5min 