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Centre for Sustainable Agrifood Systems

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STARTProject Development Toolkit

Workshop tool

Assumptions mapping

Use this when you want to track what you think you know about the project and plan how to turn it into knowledge.

Where it’s used:Step 3: Problem exploration

How to use it

One way to reduce risk in a project is to keep track of your assumptions about key issues and turn them into knowledge. Every time you stumble upon an assumption about the project, write it down. Now and then, revisit the assumptions, evaluate their importance and write down how you plan to address them.

Be honest. What do you know and what do you think you know? What don't you know? What do you know that you, in truth, don't have evidence for?

Assumptions mapping: exampleLeft: assumptions. Be honest: what do you know, what do you think you know, what don't you know, and what do you know without evidence? Right: how will you turn each assumption into knowledge? Handbook example: 1. We can finish the application before the deadline, turned into knowledge by: We make a detailed plan with set milestones and deadlines; 2. This project is a match for this specific call, turned into knowledge by: We contact the funding body and ask; 3. There is room in the budget for all of us to get what we need, turned into knowledge by: Build a strong Give/Take matrix and create a detailed budget; 4. There is a need for the technology we are developing, turned into knowledge by: Talk with future users about their needs and wants; 5. Users will love this product!, turned into knowledge by: Test our proposed solution with relevant future users; 6. We can publish the results in this specific high-impact journal, turned into knowledge by: Contact the journal and hear if results could be interesting for them.Assumptions!Be honest. What do youknow and what do youthink you know? Whatdon't you know? What doyou know that you, intruth, don't haveevidence for?How will you turnyour assumption intoknowledge?Example assumptionsTurn into knowledge by…1. We can finish theapplication before thedeadline1. We make a detailedplan with set milestonesand deadlines2. This project is amatch for this specificcall2. We contact thefunding body and ask3. There is room in thebudget for all of us toget what we need3. Build a strongGive/Take matrix andcreate a detailed budget4. There is a need forthe technology we aredeveloping4. Talk with futureusers about their needsand wants5. Users will love thisproduct!5. Test our proposedsolution with relevantfuture users6. We can publish theresults in this specifichigh-impact journal6. Contact the journaland hear if resultscould be interesting forthem
Assumptions and how to turn them into knowledge (example from handbook p. 15).

Source: START Triple-I project development tool kit, pp. 14–15.