Exploring the size of the problem at the local and global level can help you identify how much energy and effort may be required, and how far the impact of a solution could go.

Download the template. The vertical axis of the graph represents the number of people affected by this problem: the breadth of impact. Decide the scale of the axis based on how many people are affected by this problem in a particular context, or globally in humanitarian settings.

The horizontal axis represents the seriousness of the problem in the lives of those affected: the depth of impact. For example, contracting Ebola has a high chance of causing death, so the depth of impact is extremely high, whereas finding a way for your finance team to save 20 minutes when processing expenses has a very low depth of impact.

The greater the number of people affected and the seriousness of the problem, the more potential impact a solution has.