Impact Logic For Anyone
By Deanna Hart
This post is about the impact logic model, a tool any person or any group could use to make an impact plan. When this post refers to “you”, it speaks to you as an organization, community, group, family, or individual. This post will use a simple illustration of an evening at home to demonstrate the parts, the terms to describe them, and how they relate.
(Spend as little time as possible on the first draft of your impact logic model. It is meant to evolve with time and conversations. Most of the “work” you’ll do is in your thoughts, observations, and conversations between drafts)
Simple Impact Logic Model
First, think about a problem or opportunity and define it fully in words. I like to call them all problem-opportunities. Every problem leads to an opportunity to address it, and every opportunity exists because of a problem, like a barrier to opportunity. They are so linked, I make them one word. Start with your view of a problem-opportunity and know that it, and the rest of this model, can and should change once you start talking to others about it.
Example Problem-Opportunity
I’m spending the evening at home and am HUNGRY!
Now, jump right to the impact that would address the problem or meet the opportunity. What would define success in it? Describing the impact is describing the fully realized opportunity or fully resolved problem.
Example Impact: I’m satisfied with my evening at home.
Think about what outcomes would lead to this impact. An outcome is a result of something. It can be what a customer does with a product or service.
Example Outcome: I’m eating an enjoyable dinner at home.
What outputs would create this outcome? Outputs can be products or services in business settings.
Example Output: I have a meal available that is nutritious and delicious.
Then jump to inputs. List out the potentially relevant available and near available resources. Some resources (inputs) are not with us right now, but they are near enough to be accessed to use when we need them.
Example Input: I have dried noodles, two pans, a stove…and my neighbor said I could pick from his rosemary bush.
Now for activities. What activities can you do to “add value” to your resources. Anything that makes something more useful or available is adding value.
Example Activities: I go and pick some rosemary, boil water, cook the noodles, heat the sauce…serve it on a plate.
This simple impact logic model can help make complex systems more understandable. I invite you to print or write it out and enjoy. Practicing using this tool can change the way you approach problem-opportunities, building the mental habits that stick with you when the tool itself isn’t.
About Deanna
Deanna Hart is a Writer & Consultant serving the Portland, Oregon area with creative consulting for start-ups, entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, and nonprofits, she writes about the topics these clients struggle with using a social impact lens and entrepreneurial solutions. She comes with a diversified background that feeds her creative problem solving and perspectives: from fundamentalist Christian to Buddhist to atheist, urban to rural to urban again, northwest, southwest to southeast to northwest US again, trained in 10 industries, experienced in 7, managing in 4, creating fine and performance art, singer, songwriter, married 3 times, and raising 1 child.
Connect with her: contact@deannahart.com
Learn more about her: www.DeannaHart.com
Originally published at www.monkeybusinesspdx.com.
