Complete firstProblem Framing Workshop
Problem, objective, or decision is described enough that the method can be applied to a clear scope.
Without: Without a clear scope, the team gathers material but cannot derive a robust structure or decision.
RunsheetSystems Thinking
Intervention Mapping
ComplexityHigh
Time1-5 Tage
Participants4-12
FormatWorkshop + async
MaturityEstablished
01
Prerequisite
What needs to be finished first
02
Preparation
What needs to be ready before start
Materials
Working board or document for intervention plan; existing notes, data, decisions, and assumptions; markers for uncertainty, owner, and next steps.
People / roles
Facilitator; functional experts from the affected area; one owner for result and follow-up; a named decider for decisions.
Pre-read
Scope, trigger, known facts, relevant constraints, prior options or events, and desired outcome of the session.
Time needed
2-4 h
Setup
Prepare an empty intervention-plan template. Keep scope and work question visible at the top. Mark each assumption as assumption, not as fact.
03
Core question
The one question this method answers
Which intervention fits problem, target group, behavior, context, and evaluation?
04
Flow
Marker: Phase
| Step | Duration | Action | Hint |
|---|---|---|---|
1Fix scope | 10-20 min | Define trigger, objective, and boundaries of the analysis. Collect off-topic topics in a parking lot. | A narrow scope produces better outcomes than a complete but diffuse sweep. |
2Collect raw material | 20-40 min | Gather facts, events, options, constraints, or assumptions and make them visible. | Keep facts and interpretations separate. Mark uncertain points instead of smoothing them over. |
3Build structure | 30-60 min | Fill the intervention plan step by step, clarify relationships between elements, and surface contradictions. | Do not evaluate too early. First stabilize structure, then draw conclusions. |
4Review and distill | 20-40 min | Mark gaps, weak assumptions, counterexamples, and critical paths. Check whether the outcome is understandable. | If the logic cannot be explained in two minutes, the artifact is not complete. |
5Define next steps | 15-20 min | Document decision, experiment, test, measure, or follow-up with owner and date. | A solid artifact without a next action is knowledge work without effect. |
05
Artifact
What comes out at the end
Form
Intervention plan with trigger, scope, key elements, assumptions, marked gaps, interpretation of outcome, and next step with owner and date.
Versioning / ownership
Save artifact with date, scope, and participants. If new evidence arrives, create a new version or change log so decision logic remains traceable.
Tool alternatives
- Miro or FigJam
- Lucidchart or draw.io
- Confluence or Notion
- Google Docs or Sheets
- Markdown in repository
intervention-mapping-working-template.md
Compact working template for Intervention Mapping with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.
Intervention Mapping Canvas
Context
What is this method used for?
Core question
Which question should be answered at the end?
Input
Which data, observations, or materials are available?
Working area
- Area 1:
- Area 2:
- Area 3:
- Relationships / patterns:
Output artifacts
- Logic Model:
- Change Objectives:
- Intervention Components:
- Evaluation Plan:
Open questions
- ...
Next step
Owner, date, and success signal.
06
Example output
Concrete filled scenario, fictional example
intervention-mapping-beispiel.md
Concrete filled scenario, fictional example
Intervention Mapping - Onboarding activation of new tenants
Scope: A concrete project area is assessed, not the entire company. Work question: Which intervention fits problem, target group, behavior, context, and evaluation?
Artifact excerpt:
- Fact 1: Current observation is documented and linked to a source.
- Assumption 1: The most important causal relationship is plausible but not yet proven.
- Critical point: An open condition determines whether the preferred direction is sustainable.
Result: The team selects a focused next step with owner and date. Signal: From change intent to program design.
07
Pitfalls
Recognize symptoms and steer against them
Trap
Scope drifts
Symptom
New topics are constantly added and the artifact loses focus.
What to do
Keep scope visible and park new topics on the parking lot.
Trap
Assumptions become facts
Symptom
Discussion sounds certain even though evidence is missing.
What to do
Mark every uncertain statement and define a validation point.
Trap
Premature solution
Symptom
Team moves to actions after only minutes.
What to do
First complete the structure, then derive options or measures.
Trap
No counter-check
Symptom
Artifact confirms only the preferred hypothesis.
What to do
Ask explicitly for counterexamples, negative branches, or excluded options.
Trap
No owner
Symptom
Outcome is understandable, but no one continues it.
What to do
Document the next step always with owner, date, and success signal.
08
Stop criteria
Done signals checkable in under a minute
Trigger or scope is unclear.
No raw material or no participants with context knowledge is available.
The method is used to legitimize a decision already made.
Key assumptions cannot be discussed openly.
No owner is available for result or follow-up.
Finished the runsheet?
Go to the profile for purpose, similar methods, and sources or continue to the next method in the catalog.