Impact Mapping

Last reviewed 12 April 2021 by Crispin Read

Description

Making better decisions about development.
Impact mapping is a strategic planning technique that works really well for web dev projects. We can use impact maps to describe and validate the work we are doing in a visual format. It also ties in neatly with other techniques we have been using like user stories and object mapping.

Outcomes

At the end of this training you will be able to:

  1. Understand the value of Impact Mapping in web development
  2. Create impact maps to describe and plan projects and features

Learner Requirements

  1. Idea for a web development project

Outline

  1. What is Impact Mapping?
  2. How is it useful for software development?
  3. Defining project objectives
  4. Who are our ‘Actors’?
  5. Building Impact Maps for our projects

Tasks

During Training

  1. Create/draft a project overview doc
  2. Create at least one impact map to describe a key objective of your project

After Training

(Upload to OneFile)

  1. Project presentation - 4 or 5 slides to describe your project
    1. Introduce yourself
    2. Overview - what will the site do?
    3. Personas - who is it for?
    4. What problems does it solve?
  2. Project Overview Document with:
    1. Intro
    2. Objectives (list)
    3. Main Functionality (list)
  3. At least one completed impact map

Extras

(Add to OneFile as extra evidence via journal entries)

  1. Blog post about Impact mapping
  2. Additional impact maps for your project objectives
  3. Impact map for a work project

Resources / Reference

  1. Slides on Google Drive
  2. Mindmeister - 3 free maps
  3. Demo Impact Map
  4. About Impact Mapping
  5. Drawing Impact Maps
  6. Impact Mapping in Practice Pt 1
  7. Impact Mapping in Practice Pt 2

Skills, Knowledge, Behaviours and Values

Core Skills

This workshop is designed to develop the following from our core skills directive

  • Prioritisation
  • Presentation
  • Communication
  • Teamwork
  • Empathy

Apprenticeship Standard

This workshop will encourage the development of the following from the Software Developer Level 4 Standard

COMPETENCIES (Skills)

  • C6 - Design: can create simple data models and software designs to effectively communicate understanding of the program, following best practices and standards.
  • C7 - Analysis: can understand and create basic analysis artefacts, such as user cases and/or user stories.
  • C9 - Development lifecycle: can operate at all stages of the software development lifecycle, with increasing breadth and depth over time with initial focus on build and test.
  • C11 - Can interpret and follow:
    • software designs and functional/technical specifications
    • company defined ‘coding standards’ or industry good practice for coding
    • testing frameworks and methodologies
    • company, team or client approaches to continuous integration, version and source control
  • C12 - Can respond to the business environment and business issues related to software development.
  • C13 - Can operate effectively in their own business’, their customers’ and the industry's environments.

BEHAVIOURS

  • B1 - Logical and creative thinking skills.
  • B2 - Analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • B5 - A thorough and organised approach.
  • B6 - Ability to work with a range of internal and external people.
  • B7 - Ability to communicate effectively in a variety of situations.

Knowledge

  • K1 - Understands and operates at all stages of the software development lifecycle.
  • K3 - Understands how teams work effectively to produce software and contributes appropriately.
  • K4 - Understands and applies software design approaches and patterns and can interpret and implement a given design, compliant with security and maintainability requirements.
  • K5 - Understands and responds to the business environment and business issues related to software development.