Trouble starting with first map...

[Michael Edwards]

Hi all,

I'm currently working for a local government organisation. We want to implement a CRM system to help capture customer requests for reporting and to create custom workflows to help automate processes of the teams that need to respond.

I have purchased and read Gojko's book, but with all this new information I think I'm over analysing this now, but what is the "WHY?" here? I'm in analysis paralysis. How do I mention the WHY? in this case?

Michael

[Gojko Adzic]

Dettmer says that for non-commercial initiatives (most likely case here, as it's a government org), the big value tends to be removal of undesired effects. so I'd start by looking at what undesired behaviours or effects you are removing with your initiative. (eg will the result be saving money wasted on doing something inconsistently? will it be reducing the time to do something from a govt perspective?). you can also look at the impacts, how does the behaviour of people interacting with you change? (eg will someone report problems easier, or will someone else identify and respond to critical problems faster)...

gojko

[Michael Edwards]

Hey Gojko,

Thanks so much for replying so quickly.

All I can think of are impacts which is starting at level 2 and not the goal.

- reduce time on phone (customer service)
- enter requests online instead of phone, walkin (customer)
- reduce lost requests (customer service)
- reduce time updating customer on status (customer service)

I don't understand why I can come up with these if I don't understand the why. is it to "increase customer satisfaction?" or is that a behaviour?

[Gojko Adzic]

Hi,

The 4 listed are behaviour changes (impacts) on the map. the fact you can't come up with the goal means that impact mapping as a technique is succeeding, in a sense that it's forcing you to think and talk to the stakeholders why on earth you'd be doing the whole thing in the first place. customer satisfaction might be a goal (that's what your stakeholders I guess care about), but there might be some other things in play. it could be that this is about reducing reputation risk, meeting some externally-mandated service level agreements or political promises, or even protecting the environment. But there's no way to know until you actually talk to the people sponsoring this.

Perhaps organise a meeting with the stakeholders and check how they would know the project hasn't failed to deliver -- I often find that failure criteria is easier to agree on than success. Ask people what they would measure or look for as indicators of failure, and you will probably start to uncover the goal. 

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[Michael Edwards]

Hi Gojko

I think I'm starting to understand the technique now. Thinking about it over again (and I will engage with stakeholders regarding the why), maybe I should be looking at the organisation's vision? "leading, engaging and supporting strong and vibrant communities" then breaking that down?

Also watched a video from AgileWarshaw from 2017. It'd cleared up a few other questions I had regarding IM. This is really great stuff. Thanks for everything you are putting out.

Michael

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[Gojko Adzic]

Hi,

A vision is a good starting point to identify potential goals, of course. Ideally you want something a bit more concrete that you can address in the next milestone. A vision tells you what you are striving for, the goal part of an impact map is a step in the right direction on that agenda, that's the most pressing one now :)

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[Michael Edwards]

I'll get that meeting finished and see what comes out of it. :-)

[Tom N]

How did it go Michael? Did the "why" for the project surprise you?