Impact mapping

As explained in Collaborative Software Design: How to facilitate domain modeling decisions

An impact map is a visual model connecting a goal to actors, impacts, and deliverables that contribute to achieving it.

Impact mapping is a visual model for aligning user stories with business goals. It keeps delivery connected to the problem being solved rather than allowing features to become an irrelevant backlog. section 12.2.1

Build the map by answering four connected questions:

• Why? Define the goal or milestone. section 12.2.1
• Who? Identify the actors affected by or contributing to the goal. section 12.2.1
• How? Describe the impacts or behavior changes expected from those actors. section 12.2.1
• What? Identify the deliverables that could create those impacts. section 12.2.1

Create the map with relevant stakeholders to establish shared understanding, expose assumptions and cognitive bias, prioritize work, and discuss delivery options. Link each proposed feature back to the initial goal so the group can explain both priorities and exclusions. section 12.2.1 section 12.7

Figure 12.5 An example of an Impact Map

Use the example Impact Map as a visual reference for connecting goals, actors, impacts, and deliverables. section 12.2.1

How Collaborative Software Design: How to facilitate domain modeling decisions covers it

How deep it goes

Defines four map layers and their benefits, but does not provide the full facilitation procedure or detailed mapping guidance.

Examples

Uses an example Impact Map and relates mapping to customer journeys and product backlogs.

What it assumes

Requires a product goal and relevant stakeholders, while the four-question structure supplies the modeling frame.

What you can do after

Apply impact mapping to prioritize relevant user stories, discuss delivery options, and connect deliverables to intended behavior change.

How it connects

Connects business goals, user stories, actors, impacts, deliverables, customer journeys, prioritization, and cognitive bias.

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Also explained in

• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  BDD in Action, Second EditionAn impact map is an iterative visual document representing relationships and assumptions between business goals and the capabilities or deliverables intended to support them.
• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Architecture Modernization: Socio-technical alignment of software, strategy, and structureAn impact map is a visual model linking business goals to actors, impacts, and potential deliverables.

Compare how 3 books explain impact mapping →

Related concepts

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• pirate metricsused by · Pirate metrics, also called AARRR, are a startup and product measurement framework organized around acquisition, activation, retention, revenue, and referral.
• mind mapkind of · A mind map is a visual diagram that organizes ideas and their relationships around a central topic through branching connections.
• business goalhas part · A business goal is a desired organizational outcome that guides decisions, priorities, or resource allocation.
• user storyuses · A user story is a concise requirement describing a desired software capability, interaction, or outcome from a user’s or stakeholder’s perspective.
• hypothesisproduces · A hypothesis is a provisional proposition, explanation, or prediction that can be evaluated against evidence.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Collaborative Software Design: How to facilitate domain modeling decisions. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.