What would you do when the deliverable respectively the solution is already defined

[Benjamin Brachert]

Hi,

from time to time (in big organisations) I observe that the deliveriable or even the technical solution is already defined.

Somewhere at some point in time somebody had a idea to change the system a little bit. Therefore we have to use a new system. The new system needs different data. The data format is already predefined.

Is it worth to do a kind of reverse engineering from that point and generate a impact map eventhough we already know we can't change anything anymore because several other systems have been already adapted to the new system with the different data.

Or would you rather just close the eyes and implement whats necessary and try to do impact mapping for other things.

So, is there any benefit of doing impact maps even though all people expect from the developers just to implement the predefined solution?

BR

Benjamin

[drob...@gmail.com]

IMHO Yes,

You wont get full benefit of impact map but still a benefit.

In my case Impact Mapping is a nice tool to fight Mushroom Management

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushroom_management

It's not about impact mapping but increasing transparency on Mushroom Management and showing incompetence of people using PowerPoint Management

For e.g. In current company when I've joined we had "business goals" like Best UX, Best UI, New Features and Cloud.

I've started by challenging for true Business goals and KPIs.

Meanwhile I've managed to setup a practice to improve transparency on Sprint Goals using Miro and Impact Mapping format 

A Year has passed and We just past an actual impact mapping session with stakeholders using true business goals and KPIs

[Benjamin Brachert]

Thanks for the hint about Mushroom Management didn't knew that before.

In my situation it's also the case that we have to migrate to the cloud i.e. Azure, AWS ... or we should do DevOps.

For those kind of jobs it's hard to come up with the who. At least for me it is hard.

Is the who then the developer because he is also responsible for the operations?

Like Who: Developer --> Impact: Start evaluting reports.

or

Goal: Safe Operational Cost -> Who: (old) Operations guy --> Impact: Stop doing his job --> Deliverable: Give him trainings to do different jobs

A lot of questions in my head

[drob...@gmail.com]

The second is better. Don't mention developers in impacts (unless you are a recruiting HR organization)

A nice article by Gojko

https://gojko.net/2014/09/12/zone-of-control-vs-sphere-of-influence/

My recommendation:

-make it transparent that you in the team have to came up with business goals and that it's Mushroom Management 

-practice how to define business goals. Search the web for example business goals and try to connect them to your work or even everyday activities (as a practice)

If you got small questions please add me to LinkedIn 

www.linkedin.com/in/drobniuch  

[Benjamin Brachert]

Searched around a little bit to find an example map.

Found this one: https://blog.byndyusoft.com/impact-mapping-in-practice-part-2-86a43dd15aaf

As I am still in the learning phase step "3 How?" of that post seems to me as it mixes up the impact and the deliverable. E.g. "Buy in one click" sounds like a deliverable. As well as "Rebuild FAQ" does. Or am I wrong and with the perspective of the Who it is ok?

Who: Forum Moderator --> How: Rebuild FAQ respectively
Who: Marketing Department --> How: Buy in one click

Sounds reasonable to me.