Contents: Broadly defined Why Outcome mapping? What is unique? Different from other approaches
- Outcomes = changes in behaviour, relationships, activities, actions of people, groups, and organizations that program targets - OM focuses on immediate changes the project wishes to initiate or establish Changes to influence realization of desired impacts - OM thus = a way or an approach to project planning, monitoring and evaluation that maps, supports the development of and captures desired outcomes (changes) as they unfold
Some Features of OM Focuses on how programs facilitate change rather than how they control or cause change Looks at the links between interventions and outcomes rather than trying to attribute results to a particular intervention Requires the involvement of program staff and partners throughout the planning and monitoring Through OM, a program can claim contributions to the achievement of outcomes rather than claiming achievement of impacts
- No one delivers outcomes alone. In all R & D efforts many other players and events play key roles problem identification, exploring solutions Working partnerships Adaptation and wider scaling testing and adoption
- OM requires engagement with partners in relationships that support behavioural changes leading to outcomes indicating progress towards impact OM does not focus on ATTRIBUTION and IMPACT!!!
Outcome Mapping helps a program -be specific about actors to target - the changes expected, - strategies to be employed and, as a result, - be more effective in terms of results to be achieved. Valuable for programs whose results and achievements CANNOT be understood with quantitative indicators ALONE but which require qualitative, contextualized story of development process
Vision and Mission in OM Context Who are Boundary partners (BPs)?
Large-scale ultimate development changes (economic, political, social or environmental) to which the program hopes to contribute, described described in behavioural, action type and/or changed relationship terms Ideal social changes that inspire support and enthusiasm Ultimate achievement of the vision which lies beyond the program's capability
Answers to questions such as: - What is this program supposed to accomplish? - What two to three characteristics would describe the future if the program was wildly successful? - What are your dreams of success? - In three to five years when the program has been very successful, what would be different? The vision is a beacon, a guiding light.
Examples on community changes: - All the women in the community have access to markets and control over their household s incomes - Poor livestock owners have easy access to animal disease control methods able to cope with ECF. Examples on institutional changes: - Municipal, regional, and national governments actively support urban agriculture (UA) activities by formulating and implementing UA-related policies - The countries governments have developed a comprehensive urban food supply and security strategy that allows cities to fully exploit their local strengths and create effective mechanisms for collaboration with rural and regional agriculture production sectors.
How the Program intends to support achievement of the Vision. The areas in which it will work; Who the Program will work with. Its general positioning, approach, expertise, and resource allocation philosophy Answers to questions such as: - How can the project best contribute to or support the achievement of the vision? - What does the project need to be like in order to support the vision?
Examples: - Supporting local rural communities and households affected by with HIV and AIDS - Working: - to produce, translate and implement research outputs to address disease constraints, - to ensure the research results are relevant, acceptable, implementable and effective - Building capacity in rural communities to enhance their influence in local, national, and international policymaking in urban agriculture.
Partners 'WHO the Program team will work with to achieve the Vision Stakeholders Partners ANY individual, group or institution with an interest or likely to be affected positively or negatively by Vision or Mission an ability/opportunity to support intention BEYOND the Program s sphere of influence
Boundary partners because, even though the program will work with them to effect change, it does not control them. BUT the power to influence development rests with them. The Project is on the boundary of their world. Program Boundary Partner Program relevance & viability Program Delivery Program Results
Answers to questions such as: - Who will be the most important actors to work with? - On whose actions does the success of the program most depend? - Among which actors does the program want to encourage change so that they can contribute to the vision? - Who can the program influence most directly? - Who can help or hinder its work?
To identify the important partners: ACTOR ANALYSIS - Who are the players in the systems? - Where is the transformation sought? - Who is important in the transformation sought? - Who then will be the Boundary partner? Strategic Partner? - How can we use the relationship to support the changes?
Exercise: Who are your boundary partners? Task: Each person, or group from a Demonstration City, draw a depiction of your boundary partners
Boundary Partners Outcome Challenges Boundary Partners Progress Markers
- Changes sought or those the Project will support in identified KEY Boundary Partners (BPs). Outcomes sought. - Outcome Challenge: The ultimate, most ideal change in the BP - Progress Markers: Gradual change, transformational, starting from the immediate reaction after encounter. What progressive changes the Program will observe starting from initial interaction?
- The effects of the program being there, on the partner with a focus on how actors behave as a result of being reached - How the behaviour, relationships, activities, or actions of an individual, group, or institution will change if the program is extremely successful - Idealistic but realistic. But avoid quantifying - The challenge is for the program to help bring about these changes
Answers to questions such as: Describe the boundary partner`s contributions to the vision: - In order to contribute to the vision, how will the Boundary Partner be behaving or acting differently? - How will existing ones change? - What new relationships will have been formed? Describe the ideal behaviours Are about a single boundary partner Remember, the challenge is for the program to help bring about these changes
What changes? Individual level: Behaviors and Attitudes; Activities or actions Group, Organization, Institute level: Policies, laws, regulations, ways of working
For each Boundary partner, this is a list of GRADUALLY DEVELOPING CHANGES towards targeted Outcome Challenge Refers to behavioural indications of progressive change. Starts from what is current practice or immediate reaction (when Project initiates interaction) to what would be the case at Vision level. an indication of progress over time or more commitment to change.
Progress Markers = Change Markers Love to see PMs Like to see PMs Expect to see PMs Photo : CIP
Answers to questions such: As the Project exerts its influence, what do you in the Boundary partner Expect to see? Initially Like to see? Progress over time Commitment to change Love to see? Finally
Example with informal milk traders Expect to see the traders Attending trainings because it is necessary for certification and licensing that will allow them to operate Investing in aspects of their activities that reflect commercial value of clean milk delivery and marketing Like to see the traders Applying skills/practices gained learned from the training on clean milk delivery and marketing Consulting with trainers and regulators for advice on how to enhance in clean milk delivery and marketing Love to see the traders Promoting the value of clean milk to consumers and why consumers should be sensitive to clean milk delivery Proactively seeking training because they see the value to the profitability and future of business
Example with informal milk traders Progress Marker Attending trainings because it is necessary Investing in clean milk delivery and marketing Applying skills/practices gained learned from the training Consulting with trainers and regulators for advice Promoting the value of clean milk to consumers Recordable observations Traders attendance in training sessions The presence and use of cleaning equipment and chemicals Traders use of cleaning equipment and chemicals; use of hygienic containers Trainees suggesting training subjects; asking questions to further improve cleanliness Traders marketing approaches that emphasize or position themselves as clean sources NOT price.
Trying out Progress Markers OUTCOME CHALLENGE The program intends to see researchers in developing countries that have gained the expertise required to carry out HIV/AIDS research in a multidisciplinary fashion using quantitative, qualitative, and/or participatory methodologies. They are conducting research on the legislative, economic, social, and health aspects of HIV/AIDS with special emphasis on vulnerable groups including youth and women. They are providing credible evidence that allows research findings to be translated into effective HIV/AIDS policies and programs. They are skillfully disseminating research results in the appropriate format for the audience (e.g., to the scientific community, the general public, NGOs, government officials). They are successfully obtaining funding from multiple sources to conduct HIV/AIDS research. More experienced researchers are mentoring those new to the field and HIV/AIDS researchers globally are engaged in productive communications using various means especially electronic networks.
Strategy Maps For each Boundary partner: What the Project WILL DO do to influence desired changes in the Partner along the Progress Markers identified. Diverse range (An array) of ACTIVITIES: -Aimed at Partner -Aimed at Partner s environment -Cause, Persuade, Support
List out all possible Program Activities that will: Cause Persuade Support Individual Partner Force or compel change Convince Educate Mentor, Guide Partner s environment Set rules, guidelines. Laws & Regulation Broadly disseminate Set Policy Guidelines Create learning links Provide support network
Answers to questions such as: Cause Persuade Support Individual Partner What will be done to produce an immediate change in the partner? What will be done to build capacity in the partner? How will you support, guide and mentor the partner? Partner s environment What will be done to compel immediate change in the system? What will you to increase awareness need for change in the system? What will you do to provide a support system that will sustain system transformation?
Organizational Practices - The Project as a Boundary Partner Are standard good management principles - activities that should wisely be practiced. This is where WE debate 'what is right and wrong with US as a Project or Program where we get to be honest about ourselves and decide if WE ARE STILL RELEVANT in the innovation equation and what we seek to achieve
Organizational Practices 8 Management Activities (could be more) Answers to questions the Project will do to 1. Prospect for new ideas, opportunities, resources 2. Seek feedback from key informants 3. Obtain support of next highest power 4. Assess and (re)design products, services, systems and procedures
Organizational Practices 8 Management Activities (could be more) Answers to questions the Project will do to 5. Check up on those served to add value 6. Share your best wisdom with the world 7. Experiment to remain innovative 8. Engage in organizational reflection
Organizational Practices 8 Management Activities (could be more) Through organizational practices, we constantly review our own performance in line with our Vision and Mission, developing Outcomes and what the Project Stakeholders reflect of us
Monitoring elements: Changes in behaviours, actions, activities and relationships among the key boundary partners The Strategies the Programme is employing to encourage the changes The functioning of the Programme as an Organizational unit
Monitoring elements: Changes in behaviours, actions, activities and relationships among the key boundary partners -What progress markers have been achieved? -What evidence demonstrates these changes? Mapping of Outcomes!!!!
Monitoring elements: The Strategies the Programme is employing to encourage the changes -What mix of strategies are we employing? -Are our partners satisfied? Is there transformation? -Can we improve?
Monitoring elements: The functioning of the Programme as an organizational unit -How are we doing in helping our partners? -Are we learning from experience?
Monitoring Challenges: Takes time, resources, commitment and effort Requires getting together to collect and reflect on data and program s work; -Not too frequent -Not to far apart -Suggestion of every 2 3 months
Monitoring plan (help prioritize): : Priority: Boundary partner progress Proposed Tool: Outcome journal Program Strategies Strategy journal Program Organizational Practices Performance journal
Developing an Outcome Journal Work dating from to (Reporting period): Contributors to monitoring update: BP s Outcome challenge: LMH measure (Your rating of achievement, e.g. Low = 0 40%, Medium = 41 80%, High = 81 100%) LMH Progress Marker Who
Developing an Outcome Journal LMH Progress Marker Who Expect to see the BP Like to see the BP Love to see the BP
Description of change: Developing an Outcome Journal Contributing factors: Sources of evidence: Un-anticipated change: Lessons/Required program changes/reactions:
Developing a Strategy Journal Work dating from to (Reporting period): Contributors to monitoring update: Strategy being monitored: Strategy type (I-1, I-2,.. E-3) Describe the activity: (What did you do? With whom? When?) Effectiveness of strategy: Outputs:
Developing a Strategy Journal Describe the activity: (What did you do? With whom? When?) Effectiveness of strategy: Outputs: Required program follow-up: Lessons: Date of next monitoring meeting:
Developing a Performance Journal List the organizational practices: 1. Prospect for new ideas, opportunities, resources 2. Seek feedback from key informants 3. Obtain support of next highest power 4. Assess and (re)design products, services, systems and procedures 5. Check up on those served to add value 6. Share your best wisdom with the world 7. Experiment to remain innovative 8. Engage in organizational reflection
Developing a Performance Journal Work dating from to (Reporting period): Contributors to monitoring update: Practice 1: Prospecting for new ideas, opportunities, resources Example or Indicator: Sources of evidence: Lessons:
Developing a Performance Journal Practice 2: Seeking feedback from key informants Example or Indicator: Sources of evidence Lessons: Practice 3: Obtaining the support of your next highest power
Gathering the data Regular face - to face meetings where observed changes are recorded Electronic data sheets to be filled when changes are noted Interview or focus groups discussion with boundary partners
Note It is recommended to combine the OM monitoring approach with other M & E approaches to make the process inclusive and the results more acceptable Because OM enables a team to use ongoing feedback to track progress, make corrections and report results at any stage of an initiative.
For more information For more information & to share your experiences http://www.idrc.ca/evaluation Examples of OM Use http://web.idrc.ca/en/ev-27705-201-1-do_topic.html