Benefit Map
The Benefit Map is a participatory activity designed to analyze and visualize how projects or proposals generate concrete benefits within a community, organization, or specific context. Through a visual map, participants link initiatives to their potential impacts, identifying connections, priorities, and opportunities to maximize results.
Preparation
01 · Define the purpose
- Clarify the objective of the map: prioritizing projects, evaluating impacts, or identifying synergies between initiatives.
02 · Prepare the proposals
- Ask participants in advance to define their projects with key information: Project description. Problems it addresses. Expected benefits.
- Project description.
- Problems it addresses.
- Expected benefits.
03 · Create the map framework
- Place the projects at the center of the map and position the potential benefits around them.
- Prepare a board, whiteboard, or digital tool to build the map.
04 · Necessary materials
- Cards or sticky notes for projects and benefits.
- Markers, strings, or lines to connect elements.
- Optional: digital tools such as Miro or Jamboard for online maps.
Step-by-step instructions
1
Introduce the purpose
- Explain the objective of the activity: visualizing how projects generate benefits and identifying those with the greatest impact.
- Provide examples of connections between projects and benefits to inspire participants.
2
Project presentation
- Participants briefly present their projects to the group.
- Projects are written on cards and placed at the center of the map.
3
Identify benefits
- Participants reflect on the benefits each project could generate (e.g., social, economic, environmental, or educational impact).
- Benefits are written on cards and placed around the projects.
4
Link projects and benefits
- Connect projects to benefits using lines, strings, or arrows.
- Participants justify each connection and discuss its relevance.
- Group similar benefits together if necessary to avoid redundancy.
5
Collective analysis
- Reflect with the group on the connections:
- Which projects generate the most benefits?
- Which benefits are shared across multiple projects?
- Which benefits are unique and strategic?
- Identify synergies and potential collaborations between projects.
6
Closure and synthesis
- Summarize key findings and document the final map.
- Discuss how the results of the map can inform decisions on priorities or implementation.
Examples of benefits that can be analyzed
- Increase in local employment.
- Improvement in educational quality.
- Reduction in environmental pollution.
- Strengthening of social cohesion.
- Access to basic services.
- Inclusion of vulnerable groups.
- Development of community capacities.
- Promotion of technological innovation.
- Increase in civic participation.
- Improvement in public infrastructure.
Materials
Cards or sticky notes for projects and benefits.
Strings, arrows, or markers to connect elements.
Whiteboard, large paper, or digital tool to build the map.
Practical recommendations
Clear criteria
Define what types of benefits will be analyzed to maintain focus.
Encourage discussion
Motivate participants to justify their connections and debate their relevance.
Document the final map
Take a photo or save a digital copy of the map for future reference.
Group similar benefits
If there are redundancies, combine related benefits to simplify the analysis.
Facilitate prioritization
At the end, help the group identify which benefits are most strategic for the context.
