Will-Skill Matrix
PMSD Toolkit
In a nutshell: The Will-Skill Matrix is a simple tool to assess whether a partner has the will (motivation to try something new) and the skill (resources, staff, or know-how) to follow through. It helps PMSD teams decide which organisations to prioritise for achieving results. Typically used after initial engagement with market actors—such as during participatory market mapping—it was developed by the Springfield Centre and appears in the 2015 M4P Operational Guide.
Status: Optional Tool
Key principles: This tool strongly reflects facilitation as it involves thinking about which partners have the most capacity and incentive to continue with a change, regardless of external support.
Preconditions and preparation: This tool is most useful after an initial meeting with a potential partner, once you’ve had a chance to understand their personality, mindset, and energy. You can also combine it with the Influence-Relevance Matrix for a broader view. For example, a key actor might lack motivation (low will) but still be worth engaging due to their high influence and relevance.
Timeline and resources: This tool should only take 5-10 minutes to fill out for a single market actor, and can be filled out by an individual or a team.
Outputs
The main output is a map which places a partner onto one of the four quadrants of the below matrix.
The table below suggests the most useful strategies for how to move forward with partners in different quadrants:
Resources and templates:
BEAM guidance on Will/Skill Matrix, including a case study.