How can social impact professionals decide on the issues to prioritize?

2 Assess the impact

The second step is to assess the impact of the issues that you care about. Impact refers to the positive or negative change that an issue causes or could cause on people, planet, or profit. To measure impact, you need to consider the magnitude, duration, frequency, and reversibility of the change, as well as the number and diversity of the beneficiaries or victims. You can use a impact matrix, such as this one, to plot your issues on a scale of low to high impact and importance.

3 Evaluate the feasibility

The third step is to evaluate the feasibility of addressing the issues that you have identified. Feasibility refers to the practicality and viability of solving or improving an issue, given the available resources, constraints, and opportunities. To assess feasibility, you need to consider the complexity, cost, risk, and stakeholder support of the issue, as well as your own skills, knowledge, and capacity. You can use a feasibility matrix, such as this one, to rank your issues on a scale of easy to hard and desirable to undesirable.

4 Compare the alternatives

The fourth step is to compare the alternatives and trade-offs that you have to make when prioritizing your issues. Alternatives refer to the different options or strategies that you can pursue to address an issue, while trade-offs refer to the benefits and costs that you have to sacrifice or accept when choosing an option. To compare alternatives, you need to weigh the pros and cons of each option, using criteria such as effectiveness, efficiency, equity, and ethics. You can use a decision matrix, such as this one, to score and rank your alternatives based on your criteria.

5 Consult the stakeholders

The fifth step is to consult the stakeholders that are involved or affected by your issues and alternatives. Stakeholders refer to the individuals, groups, or organizations that have an interest or influence in your work, such as your clients, partners, funders, beneficiaries, or competitors. To consult stakeholders, you need to identify their needs, expectations, preferences, and feedback, as well as their potential conflicts or synergies. You can use a stakeholder analysis, such as this one, to map and engage your stakeholders based on their power and interest.

6 Review and revise

The sixth and final step is to review and revise your prioritization process and outcomes. Reviewing and revising refer to the actions of checking, monitoring, and adjusting your priorities and plans, based on new information, evidence, or circumstances. To review and revise, you need to collect and analyze data, measure and report your results, learn from your successes and failures, and adapt to changing conditions . You can use a feedback loop, such as this one, to cycle through your prioritization steps and improve your performance.