Logic Mapping - ILM
Turn complex investment decisions into clarity and confidence
Many investment decisions fail not because of poor execution, but because the logic behind them is weak. Solution-led thinking, unclear benefits, fragmented stakeholder views, and untested assumptions erode confidence long before delivery begins.
CATO’s Logic Mapping - ILM service helps leaders cut through complexity and establish a clear, evidence-backed line of sight from problem to outcome to benefit. By applying Investment Logic Mapping and benefits logic mapping, organisations gain clarity on what truly matters, what capability uplift is required, and how value will be realised.
This approach strengthens decision confidence, produces justifiable business cases, and ensures investments are positioned to deliver the outcomes leaders are accountable for.
Who It’s For
- Boards and executive leadership teams
- Public-sector agencies and Crown entities
- Organisations preparing business cases or funding submissions
- Investment committees and assurance functions
- Organisations seeking stronger value-for-money discipline
What We Help With
- Investment Logic Mapping (ILM) facilitation
- Clear problem definition and evidence-based diagnosis
- Identification of benefits and outcomes that matter
- Alignment of strategic responses to organisational objectives
- Avoidance of solution-first or poorly scoped proposals
How CATO Delivers
- Facilitate structured ILM workshops with senior stakeholders
- Agree the problem, its causes, and why it matters
- Define measurable benefits and outcomes
- Identify appropriate strategic responses and investment types
- Produce a concise, one-page logic map linking problem → benefits → responses → investments
Benefits are assessed through a risk lens - not just a delivery lens - ensuring investments are resilient to uncertainty and external forces beyond project control.
Outcomes / Value
- Clear, shared understanding of why investment is required
- Stronger alignment between strategy, investment, and outcomes
- Reduced risk of weak or solution-driven proposals
- Better quality business cases and funding submissions
- Increased confidence for decision-makers and assurance bodies
Example Engagement
A public-sector organisation preparing a significant investment proposal engaged CATO to facilitate Investment Logic Mapping as part of its front-end decision process. The organisation faced challenges aligning stakeholders around the core problem and articulating the benefits sought.
CATO facilitated structured ILM workshops with senior leaders, clarifying the underlying problem, its drivers, and the outcomes required. A concise, one-page logic map was developed, linking the problem to measurable benefits, strategic responses, and potential investment options.
The ILM process strengthened the quality of subsequent business case development, improved alignment across stakeholders, and provided decision-makers with clear, defensible logic for investment decisions.