Impact Journey
The Impact Journey helps teams proactively assess the potential positive and negative impacts of a service across various dimensions like environment, society, and economy. By visualizing the user journey alongside potential impacts, teams can make more informed and sustainable design decisions.
Use this method early in the design process, particularly when you want to ensure your service aligns with sustainability goals and minimizes negative consequences on people and the planet.
Solves: Unintended negative consequences of a service; Lack of consideration for long-term sustainability; Siloed thinking that overlooks broader impacts.
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Step 1: Outline the service experience as a journey map, briefly describing each step. (15 minutes)
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Step 2: Define the key impact areas to consider (e.g., Environment, Society, Economy). List these vertically to create a matrix below the journey map. (10 minutes)
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Step 3: Systematically explore the matrix, asking for each journey step what positive or negative outcomes might affect the identified impact areas. Document these. (45 minutes)
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Step 4: Discuss the filled Impact Journey to identify potential sustainability risks and long-term impacts. Brainstorm ways to mitigate negative consequences and enhance positive outcomes. (20 minutes)
- Encourage diverse perspectives when identifying impact areas and potential consequences.
- Focus on both positive and negative impacts to get a balanced view.
- Remind participants to consider long-term effects, not just immediate outcomes.
- Use different impact categories based on the specific service and context.
- Involve external stakeholders to get a broader perspective.
- Prioritize impact areas based on their importance and potential severity.