An Introduction to Outcome Mapping

Tools for Planning, Monitoring & Evaluating

Development Projects and Programs

IPDETJune 16, 2011

Terry Smutylo tsmutylo@magma.ca

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Objectives for this Session

1. Inspire you to search for and adapt evaluation tools to fit your context & needs

2. Introduce key concepts & tools in Outcome Mapping

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Development interventions can be:

Complex (involve a confluence of actors and factors)

Unstable (independent of project duration)

Non-linear (unexpected, emergent, discontinuous)

Two-way (intervention may change)

Beyond control (but subject to influence)

Incremental, cumulative (watersheds & tipping points)

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Challenges in evaluating development interventions:

establishing cause & effect in open systems measuring what did not happen reporting on emerging objectives timing: success today, failure tomorrow? encouraging ongoing learning reconciling differing values, perspectives measuring ‘sustainable’ results

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program influence decreases (is replaced)

changed behavior

The focus of Outcome Mapping

community capacity & ownership increases

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What is Outcome Mapping?

A project/program management tool for:

Clarifying intentions

Developing strategies to achieve results

Identifying information for monitoring and evaluating

Fostering organizational learning

Enhancing other frameworks & methods

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1990s: IDRC’s post-Rio search for ‘sustainable’ results

1998: Barry Kibel and Outcome Engineering

1999: Collaboration & testing within projects

2000: Publication of manual in English & French

2002: Training, facilitation & usage globally

2006: OM Learning Community: www.outcomemapping.ca

2008: CLAMA

OM: brief history

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Three key concepts in OM:

Sphere of influence

Recognizing changes in behaviour as outcomes

Boundary Partners

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BeneficiariesProject or Program

Partners

There are limits to our influence

sphere of influence

sphere of concern

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inputs activitiesoutputs

Changes in behaviour as ‘outcomes’

sphere of influence

sphere of concern

o u t c o m e s

changes in conditions, well-being

changes in behaviour

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improved human, social, & environmental wellbeing

Step 1:

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I have a dream!

Martin Luther King, Jr.August 28, 1963

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The mission is that “bite” of the vision statement on which the

program is going to focus.

MissionStep 2:

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A mission statement describes:

What do you do?

Who are your principle collaborators?

How do you work with them?

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✓ about the future

✓ concrete, observable

✓ idealistic

✓ not about the program

✓ feasible

✓ identifies activities and relationships

✓ about the program

Vision Mission

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Step 3: Who are our Boundary Partners?

Boundary Partners

Beneficiaries

other stakeholders

Project or

Program

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Participatory research on demonstration farms to develop approaches to drip irrigation

Extension workers visit demonstration farms

Training of extension workers

Publication of performance of different set-ups

Extension workers explain & promote drip irrigation

Farmers adoptdrip irrigation methods

Greater quantities of groundwater available

Farmers participate in field trials using drip irrigation

Farmers add to own knowledge of techniques

Reduced numbers of new wells

Adapted from K. Kelpin, 2009

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Progress Markers

(Deep transformation)

(Active engagement)

(Early positive responses)

Love to see

Like to see

Expect to see

Step 5:

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Why use Progress Markers?

Articulate the complexity of the change process

Encourage the program to seek the most profound transformation possible

Facilitate negotiation of expectations with partners

Enable early assessment of progress

Help identify mid-course improvements

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Progress Markers – IMF examples

Expect to see local communities:• Participating in regular model forest (MF) meetings• Establishing an organizational structure for cooperation • Acquiring new skills for managing model forests• Articulating a locally relevant vision for the MF

Like to see local communities:5. Contributing resources to set up their MF

6. Calling upon external experts for advice

7. Seeking out new partners for the MF

Love to see local communities:

8. Obtaining funding from different national sources

9. Publishing examples of benefits achieved through MF

10. Helping other communities establish MFs

11. Sharing lessons learned internationally

12. Influencing national policy debates on resource use

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Sample progress markers

Like to see Women’s Self-Help Groups:4. Soliciting training in maternal & child health for its members5. Acquiring skills in managing credit programs6. Lending money to members

Love to see Women’s Self-Help Groups:7. Lobbying local government for expenditures on community

improvements8. Putting forth candidates for election to local government

council

Expect to see Women’s Self-Help Groups:1. Holding regular meetings2. Discussing a list of shared concerns3. Contributing to a group bank account

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6 kinds of strategies

Causal Persuasive Supportive

Iaimed at

Individual boundary partner

Strong, direct

influence

Arouse new thinking;

build skills, capacity

Continuing support

Eaimed at boundary partner’s

Environment

Alter the physical,

regulatory or information environment

Broad information disseminatio

n;

Access to new info

Create / strengthen

peer networks

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causalpersuasiv

esupportiv

e

I

E

Step 6: Strategy Map

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Step 7: Organizational Practices

How does your team or organization stay relevant, viable and effective?

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You:

keep learning

foster creativity & innovation

seek better ways to assist your partners

maintain your niche

maintain high level support

build relationships

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Organizational Practices

1. Prospecting for new ideas, opportunities, and resources

2. Seeking feedback from knowledgeable informants

3. Maintaining the support of your next highest power

4. Assessing and redesigning products, services, systems, and procedures

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…organizational practices

5. Getting feedback from those already served

6. Sharing your learning with the world

7. Experimenting to remain innovative

8. Engaging in organizational reflection

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P r o g r e s s M a r k e r s L o v e t o S e e

L ik e t o S e e

E x p e c t t o S e e

B O U N D A R Y P A R T N E R 2

O u t c o m e C h a l l e n g e

M i s s i o n

P r o g r e s s M a r k e r s L o v e t o S e e

L ik e t o S e e

E x p e c t t o S e e

P r o g r e s s M a r k e r s L o v e t o S e e

L ik e t o S e e

E x p e c t t o S e e

S t r a t e g y M a p 3 S t r a t e g y M a p 2 S t r a t e g y M a p 1

B O U N D A R Y P A R T N E R 3

O u t c o m e C h a l l e n g e

B O U N D A R Y P A R T N E R 1

O u t c o m e C h a l l e n g e

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5 kinds of M&E Information

Program Partner

outcomes(behaviour changes in the

partners)implementation(interventions by the program)

relevance & viability(actions of the program)

C o n t e x t u a l I n f o r m a t I o n

State, status or situational

data

Strategies

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Changes in well-beingChanges in behavior

‘Capacity’ includes the power & responsibility to act

Need for diversified strategies

Influence not control

Operating Principles of OM:Operating Principles of OM:

Contribution not attribution

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OM is designed to be:

Flexible: modular to be adapted to use & context

Complementary: can be combined with other methods

Evaluative: promote a culture of reflection, and social & organizational learning

Participatory: seek dialogue and collaboration with partners

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1.There is no “silver bullet”

2. Seek quality with passion & integrity

3. Recognize & celebrate achievements of your partners

4. Be “idealistic realists.”

5. Learn, and teach upwards.

In monitoring & evaluation:

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Inspiration & Information

Visit the OM learning community:

www.outcomemapping.ca

www.mapeodealcances.net

http://publicwebsite.idrc.ca/EN/Themes/Evaluation/Pages/default.aspx