You want to create a social impact map. What tools can help you get started?

Think of impact mapping as a compass for your organization. It’s a practical tool that guides your decision-making, making sure every resource is put to its best use. When stakeholders see this map, they get a clear picture of their role and the difference they’re making. It’s also about keeping track of the journey, measuring our steps along the way, and adjusting our route as needed. It’s like having an ongoing conversation about our progress and learning from each step, ensuring that every move we make is aligned with the ultimate goal.

Mapear o impacto é essencial para entender como suas ações levam aos resultados desejados. Uma teoria da mudança clara ajuda a definir objetivos, resultados e impacto, além de identificar suposições e riscos. Ao mapear o impacto, é possível testar e validar essas suposições, coletar dados e aprimorar estratégias. É uma ferramenta poderosa para melhorar o desempenho e maximizar o impacto das atividades.

Social impact mapping starts from identifying the need and ends with the desired outputs and outcomes which are need-based. In the process it followes a systematic approach from checking the reliability and validity of data/hypothesis, primary/secondary research, implementation techniques and processes, stakeholder mapping, resource management, monitoring and evaluation, outcome measurement along with sustainability analysis. Social Impact Mapping is extremely crucial and imperative to understand any gaps or changes/challenges that can affect the final output and thus includes in-depth monitoring and evaluation at all stages. With a concrete framework/mapping it is evident to get desired result over the correct span of course

For social impact mapping - Impact Mapper is effective. For Theory of change - DYLOMO is a good tool. Better eValuation's - Rainbow Framework for Impact Assessment is also worthwhile.

Mapping your impact provides clarity on your theory of change, outlining the pathway from activities to desired impact. It articulates goals, inputs, outputs, outcomes, and assumptions, enabling testing and validation. Through data analysis, it enhances strategy and performance, ensuring alignment with objectives and effective decision-making.

A social impact map comprises inputs (resources and activities), outputs (direct results), outcomes (changes for beneficiaries), and impact (long-term change). Additionally, indicators, targets, evidence, and feedback loops may be included to enhance clarity and effectiveness.

While working on a UK government funded moniyoribgvsbd evaluation framework for women empowerment project, mapping the impact through a concise theory of change player a crucial part in longitudional performance of the project. The mapping determinants that were key are - A. Mapping the issues B. Listing the inputs and activities C. Dividing the outcome projections into short, medium and long-term D. Mapping the impact leading to attainment of purpose

A social impact map is a visual representation that illustrates the intended outcomes, activities, and relationships within a social impact initiative or project. It typically includes key elements such as goals, target beneficiaries, strategies, activities, and indicators of success. The map provides a comprehensive overview of the organization's efforts to create positive social change. It is a critical step in the success of any social impact strategy.

For me alongside the mentioned components, some other major contributing factors to social impact map will be - The longevity of the impact (i.e. for the time the impact will stay in effect and what it can create at tangible levels) The transformative trickle it will have on the groups or subset targets The mental / emotional landscape it can create and based on that the cost of each choice , that it can influence

Identificação dos beneficiários diretos e indiretos, definição de indicadores de impacto, estabelecimento de metas e objetivos, mensuração do progresso e análise dos resultados.

In our team, we generate social impact maps as a starting point for our research projects. We need to make sure we understand who all the stakeholders are and what their positions are. Once we know all the stakeholders, we decide where the key challenges as well as opportunities are, and then we drill deeper to understand the individual stakeholders where change can or should happen. No matter how good your preferred tool is, we believe it is crucial to surround yourself with domain experts who can help validate data and supplement the mapping with an additional perspective. Other considerations: Add a survey component to connect with stakeholders and design a process that allows you to repeat it as ecosystems change over time.

La elección depende de la complejidad del proyecto, el presupuesto y la habilidad del equipo. Herramientas intuitivas, personalizables y que faciliten la recopilación, análisis y visualización de datos son esenciales. Experiencia personal: Al implementar proyectos sociales, he encontrado útil utilizar herramientas escalables y adaptables para garantizar la efectividad del mapeo.

Creating a social impact map in healthcare involves identifying and visualizing the effects of healthcare initiatives on various stakeholders. 1. GIS Software: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can map healthcare access, disease prevalence, and social determinants of health across different regions, highlighting areas of need and impact. 2. Survey Tools: Platforms like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms can gather data on patient experiences, outcomes, and community health needs, providing foundational insights for your impact map. Combining these tools allows healthcare professionals to comprehensively assess and illustrate the social impact of their work, fostering informed decision-making and targeted interventions.

Tools and name of model may be important but wat is very important even without the knowledge of models is to understand the basic problems you wanted to deal with and how and what indicators represnt outcome and impact. There is a need to have basic data eg evidence of problems you are dealing with in proportion of people, and sone photo evidence, stories etc Then the tools shall include things that shall help the team to show evidence too. Some evidence may be photos, stories, locations and then you need cameras for still and motion photos. Knowing models and following them is an added advantage.

When selecting a tool, organizations should consider their size, specific objectives, and preferences for data collection, ensuring that the chosen tool aligns with CSR goals and enhances the accuracy and effectiveness of social impact mapping.

To utilize a social impact mapping tool effectively, start by clarifying your vision, mission, and objectives. Identify beneficiaries and stakeholders, then map inputs, outputs, outcomes, and impact. Define indicators and targets, collect and analyze data, and communicate your findings. Regularly review and refine your approach to ensure alignment with your goals and maximize impact.

Logic models provide a structured framework, mapping relationships between inputs, activities, and outcomes. Theory of Change is a comprehensive tool outlining causal pathways to desired impact. Digital platforms like Balsamiq, Lucidchart, and Miro enable collaborative mapping, while GIS tools such as ArcGIS help incorporate geographical aspects. Kumu offers dynamic relationship mapping/ Story Maps blend maps with narrative elements for compelling storytelling. Social Impact Frameworks like SROI and IMM offer systematic approaches to measurement. OpenStreetMap and other tools foster collaborative mapping initiatives. The choice depends on project scale, collaboration needs, and the desired level of detail in illustrating social impact.

Comienza definiendo metas y criterios de éxito. Luego, recopila datos relevantes y configura la herramienta para representar gráficamente el impacto. Asegúrate de involucrar a todas las partes interesadas y ajusta el mapa según los cambios en el entorno. La capacitación del equipo y la retroalimentación constante son esenciales para una implementación exitosa.

Just need to have a clear concept from identification of stakeholders , objectives and indicators, inputs that can trigger the desired change, and how will you attribute tor prove that it is your project's impact since there are many player in the area (very important aspect). I witnessed a projects being stakeholders turned them down while the donor was there to appreciate the impact. The community attributed to their success to another project which was not even their partner.

Most of the tools that can be used to map social impact are stakeholder-oriented. For example, the SROI is based on the 7 principles of social value, on the top of which there is the principle of stakeholder inclusiveness. Hence, knowing, prioritizing and listening to stakeholder needs is usually the first step in many impact measurement methods.

Algumas ferramentas que podem ser utilizadas para realizar esse mapeamento são: Teoria da Mudança, Canvas de Impacto Social, Matriz de Marco Lógico, Mapa de Stakeholders, Visualização de Dados e Avaliação de Impacto.

Artificial intelligence (AI) can significantly enhance the way we analyze information, particularly when dealing with substantial data volumes from various public sources. These sources may include social media, news media, specialized blogs, forums and academic research. AI-powered text analytics tools are especially useful in analyzing this vast data. They can effectively run sentiment analysis and topic detection, helping us to discern the key areas that matter most to the stakeholders in question. Once this substantial data analysis is handled quantitatively by AI, we proceed to qualitative analysis. At this point, the difference is made by our domain knowledge and experience, enabling us to extract valuable insights from the data.

1. Theory of Change:A strategic planning tool focusing on outlining the necessary steps to achieve a long-term goal, emphasizing the logic and assumptions behind social initiatives. 2. ISO 26000 Social Responsibility: While not a mapping tool, ISO 26000 provides guidelines for integrating social responsibility into organizational practices, offering a comprehensive framework for ethical and socially responsible conduct. It serves as a complementary standard to enhance social impact efforts.

1) GIS Software: ArcGIS, QGIS - visualization 2) Data Visualization Tools: Tableau, Microsoft Power BI - dashboard 3) Social Impact Assessment Tools: Social Impact Assessment (SIA) Hub, ImpactMapper 4) Stakeholder Engagement Platforms: Borealis, Stakeholder Engagement Management (SEM) tools 5) Environmental Assessment Tools: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) software like Leopold, SimaPro, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools like SimaPro, GaBi & Open LCA 6) Sustainability Reporting Frameworks: Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) - Standards & Guidelines 7) Project Management Software: Asana, Trello 8) Community Engagement Tools: EngageRocket, Community Insight

Other tools I have found useful are the logic model, TOC, SROI and systems thinking models such as the CIMO, which helps identify the multiple facets of the social or environmental issue one is trying to solve, the context, the different intervention menchanisms and the outcomes. Another useful, and often understated tool, is the CBOT.

Para crear un mapa de impacto social, considera herramientas como Theory of Change, Logical Framework Approach y Social Return on Investment (SROI). Utiliza entrevistas, encuestas y análisis de datos cualitativos y cuantitativos. Software como Impact Mapper, ArcGIS y Lucidchart también pueden facilitar la visualización y seguimiento del impacto.

Need to realign social impact map with SDGs goals, targets and indicators the problem solution addresses. The results/ report informs sustainability element of the solution designed.

Always validate and revalidate impact map over a set timeframe. Social impact is not a static one time exercise as new opportunities and challanges arise, organizations must proactively adapt. Set a refresher/eval schedule and bank the resource time - it will make entire process meaningful, future change proof.

Recomiendo tener en cuenta las herramientas propuestas por el movimiento de #AltruismoEficaz al momento de evaluar el impacto concreto de una organización.