When to use it
A useful fit
Use it when stakeholders agree on a deliverable but disagree about why it matters, or when planning who will realise the benefits after handover.
Know the limits
Do not use arrows as proof of causation. Where outcomes depend on external conditions, record those conditions beside the link.
How to use it
- Start with the desired organisational outcome and work backwards to changes in behaviour.
- Identify the outputs and enabling changes needed for those behaviours.
- Give each benefit an owner, baseline, measure and review date; record adverse effects too.
Worked example
A new appointment portal is an output. Staff redirecting callers to it is an enabling change. Fewer avoidable calls is a proposed benefit. The service manager measures call reasons before launch and after adoption, while checking that people unable to use the portal still get help.
Illustrative scenario by fannarmaximus; not an official exam question.
Common pitfalls
Counting outputs as benefits hides the work required for adoption.
Attribution & sources
Benefits mapping is a shared practice. The series cites Robert Buttrick’s treatment of working backwards from intended value. This example is original.
The citations below identify authoritative references for this topic. They do not imply endorsement or reproduce the bodies’ competence lists.
- Buttrick, R. (2020). The Programme and Portfolio Workout: Directing Business-Led Programmes and Portfolios. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 9781138721210 (paperback); 9780367502508 (hardback).
- Association for Project Management (2025). APM Body of Knowledge, 8th edition. Princes Risborough: APM. ISBN 9781913305390.