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Check that your projects are on track to reach their goal. In other words, you’ll be able to see the best path forward to help you reach your goal. Use outcome mapping to identify the evolving strategies you’ll use to achieve your desired outcome. You’ll see all the steps that happen between your inputs and outputs so you can make sure that your projects are running as smoothly and efficiently as possible. As we’ve already mentioned, the outcome mapping process allows you to dig deeper into your processes.
#Black box map maker how to
This will help you identify potential hurdles and figure out how to overcome them ahead of time. Use outcome mapping to predict the challenges you might face and changes you might see as the project progresses. You might have more than one buyer persona you wish to target, and using the outcome map will help you visualize your plan of action for each audience. Use outcome mapping to carefully articulate the audience you intend to target throughout the project. Let’s look at some use cases to demonstrate: These principles can be applied to a variety of purposes. It allows you to gather information before embarking on a new project to ensure that you account for all potential outcomes. Outcome mapping is simply a suite of tools that help your team think about change. The method is meant to unpack the black box at the heart of development activities like social welfare programs.īut outcome mapping is applicable in other contexts, as well. People used the method to track outcomes resulting from a policy initiative, such as environmental, economic, political, or demographic changes. Outcome mapping originated in the public policy space. Once you’ve identified how a behavior change came about, outcome mapping empowers you to adapt and plan accordingly. In outcome mapping, outcomes are conceptualized as “behavioral changes.” Thinking in terms of changes rather than results encourages you to focus on how the change happens rather than treating each change as a forgone conclusion. The project team collaborates on a framework that encourages self-monitoring and assessment throughout your project. Rather than reacting to changes and obstacles as they arise during a project, outcome mapping allows you to plan. Whenever you undertake a project, you expect a certain level of uncertainty, but outcome mapping aims to reduce unknowns. If you can’t unpack the black box, you risk encountering unforeseen or unintended downstream effects. The beginning and end of a project are sometimes separated by a black box of process and evolution. When you’re planning a complex project, it’s important to consider all possible outcomes. Outcome mapping is a method of planning and assessing projects to understand possible outcomes and anticipate change.
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You can peer inside the black box to increase operational efficiency, reduce waste, and ensure success.
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Our Outcome Mapping Template allows you to easily visualize all the possible outcomes for your upcoming project.
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