Impact Canvas How-To Summary
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I assume these problems exist because....
I assume right now that the core levers for change are....
Ask yourself how you believe an issue was created, why you believe the problem still exists, and what you believe needs to happen to make a difference. Notice that you may be making assumptions because of your worldview. Work with others to help you notice this.
1) How do you currently define the problem?
Have an understanding of the issues you want to shift or have an effect on before you start this process.
2) What are some of the root causes of this problem?
Ask yourself how you would define the problem you're trying to address. Try to capture it in one sentence. Ask yourself what is causing this problem. When you name causes, ask yourself what is causing that cause? Follow the links of causality to improve your understanding of the system that is making this issue occur. Get input from other people to understand if your thinking aligns with the way others see the problem, especially those affected by it.
3) What historical patterns have affected this issue in the past?
Whether it's local history or global history - looking back can help you look forward. Consider the history of democracy in various countries, or the invention of the credit union as a way for the working class to amass financial power and influence and become part of the ownership/investment class. We can use past examples of social change (positive or negative) to understand the dynamics of society and come up with new definitions of the problem. Suddenly "there's not enough funding in advocacy for immigration legal cases" turns into "there is a lack of political power and democratic representation of communities of newcomers to this country" or something entirely different.
4) What are some new insights on the nature of the problem?
Allow your thinking to change over time. What new idea has come to you since you dug deeper into the root causes of the issue of your choosing?
5) What is your vision for a future?
Clearly state how the world looks when you’ve succeeded
6) What key societal milestones must be reached for your vision to become reality?
Name the steps, milestones or indicators that, if you saw those things happen in the world around you, would indicate that you are succeeding at moving the world towards your vision. These are likely to be big picture milestones, like "the price of oil makes globally transporting goods less economical than local production and consumption", or "there is a national review of high school curriculums and how history classes portray slavery and colonisation".
7) What are others are doing about this problem already? other organisations or stakeholder groups
8) What relationships with other organisations could you build on?
Map other organisations who are helping to try to solve the issue, and look into how your intervention lines up with/ doesn’t duplicate what they’re doing. What can they do that you can't? What's better left to them?
9) Your strengths, personally or as an organisation
10) What unique value can you contribute that others can’t? Brainstorm some interventions you could uniquely offer
List your unique strengths as a person or as an organisation in the context of this issue. Do you have first hand experience with one of the problems in the web of issues you're facing? Do you have more access to money & resources than others in the sector?
11) What is the clearest way to state the issue as you understand it now?
12) What is the intended area of intervention?
13) What metrics can you use to test if these ideas are effective?
Articulate three sentences that help you:
Name the issue clearly
Name your best guess at a good intervention
Name how you might measure whether the intervention is effective/impactful