There are many ways to name Benefits – the more precise and clearer you can be then the more others will be able to understand.
A Benefit can be either a positive or negative change and we tend to use five main categories:
MAINTAIN, ELIMINATE, DECREASE, INCREASE, CREATE - MEDIC is a useful way to remember these.
If the Benefit is expected to be MAINTAINED, use words such as;
Maintained, Frozen, Held, Stabilised, Equalled.
If the Benefit is to have something ELIMINATED, use words such as;
Eliminated, Stopped, Removed, Disposed.
If the Benefit is expected to be a DECREASE in something, use words such as;
Decreased, Reduced, Lessened, Weakened, Worsened, Slowed, Receded.
If the Benefit is expected to be an INCREASE in something, use words such as;
Increased, Strengthened, Heightened, Freed, Released, Deepened.
If the Benefit is expected to CREATE something that wasn't there before, use words such as;
Created, Started, Delivered, Made available.
In all cases we have found that it is helpful to phase all Benefits like this in the past tense so that when developing your map you are already putting yourselves in that future when the Benefits have already been delivered. This helps with motivation and also helps you to focus on what it is that you will need to count and measure to be sure that this future is realised.