Strategy Map Overview
What is a Strategy Map?
A strategy map is a tool designed to help a group of people clarify a desired system change.
WHY?
What is the group’s long-term positive vision for social change?
WHAT?
What is the desired system change that will contribute to the desired vision?
WHO?
Who are the players that have the power to influence the desired system change and what
actions do they need to take?
 WHY?
How will our project encourage influential players to take actions to influence the system
HOW?
change?
Why develop a strategy map?
 Design/refinement: Assist in design and/or refinement of a group’s strategy.
 Evaluation: Lay foundation for selecting milestones to assess progress.
 Communication: Articulate a group’s desired vision, changes, and strategy to others.
What is are similarities and differences between a logic model, theory of change, and
strategy map?
Logic model
Theory of
change
Strategy map
Differences
Programmatic goal: Designed for
human service programs where inputs,
outputs, and outcomes can be clearly
defined and measured.
Broad social change goal: Designed for
organizational or more complex social
change efforts with many components
(including both programmatic and system
change).
System change goal: Designed for one
desired system change (i.e., policy,
environment conditions.)
Similarities
 Aids in the planning and evaluation of
social change efforts.
 Best used with participatory approach:
Encourage stakeholders to engage in
the development.
 Uses “Begin with the end in mind”
logic: Works backwards from vision
(Why?) to outcomes (What?) to
strategy (How?).
 May be used effectively as a
communication platform, if resources
invested into graphic design.
Handout #6: Strategy Map Overview