By constructing a theory of change model, we can provide clear answers to the how. Theories of change also depict the assumptions that lie behind your reasoning, and where. Specific outcomes, activities, indicators and accountabilities are based on this theory of change and are developed as the next stages in a process. This does not imply that the only purpose of such institutions is social. Reaction direct benefits direct benefits assumptions behaviour change assumptions capacity change assumptions reach assumptions wellbeing changes wellbeing. See this volume complements that line of work by distilling, from research and experience, the theories of change that appear to be guiding community change efforts and synthesizing evidence about the effectiveness of these efforts.
You can use different techniques to match your communitys tolerance for planning versus doing. Theory of change draws on evaluation and social change traditions, combining logical process. Theory of change statement theory of change statement if girls and boys receive prevention and response services for violence against children, including gender based violence, and if girls receive prevention and care to address harmful practices such as fgmc and child marriage, and if girls and. Theories of change unicef strategic plan, 20182021 2 june 2017. A theory of change is a purposeful model of how an initiative such as a policy, a strategy, a program, or a projectcontributes through a chain of early and intermediate outcomes to the. Why theories of change matter 4 msp program theory of change. Department of health and human servicessubstance abuse and health services administrationcentger of excellence for infant and early childhood mental health consultation subject. A theory of change is a set of diagrams and complementary.
In the box below, constructs in bold are domains that evaluators have measured. The range of examples represents how different groups have approached their theory of change thinking. A theory of change process is a way of engaging stakeholders in a conversation about outcomes and of uncovering assumptions that will inform the collaborative effort. Theory of change is a tool used to model how shortterm changes lead to longterm impacts. There is no perfect example, as all theories of change should vary depending on the views of those. For example, the unicef strategic plan 20142017 is based on a. Operating units should use a stakeholder analysis to identify the. Because change takes time, successes are not always recognized when they occur. As such, the change management plan should cover all phases of an initiative, including postrollout and institutionalization. The theory of change is focused on mapping out what has been described as the missing middle between what a program or change initiative does its activities or interventions and how these lead to. The glaas organizational change management team successfully utilized a change management strategy and an organizational change. It is a practical model that allows you to articulate how you will achieve your aim, and what assumptions you are making. For example, an organisation may use theories of change as a way to communicate their goals to funders, but also to promote internal.
Using theory of change in the development, implementation and. This piece originally appeared on the authors blog on march 9, 2016. See this volume complements that line of work by distilling, from research and experience, the theories of change that appear to be guiding community change efforts and synthesizing evidence. Kellogg foundation 65656565 developing a theory of change logic model for your program drawing a picture of why your program should succeed hether you are a grantseeker developing a proposal for startup funds or a grantee with a program already in operation, developing a logic model. Elements of a theory of transformation 193 which at least in part are designed to serve the purpose of social reproduction. Impact planning, assessment and learning an overview 2. For example, an organisation may use theories of change as a way to communicate their goals to funders, but also to promote internal learning on programme strategy. Developing a theory of change a guide to developing a theory of change as a framework for inclusive dialogue, learning and accountability for social impact. What is the community builders approach to theory of change. Although theories of change are frequently discussed in the evaluation literature and there is general agreement on what a theory of change is conceptually, there is actually little agreement beyond the big picture of just what a theory of change. Applying a theory of change approach to the evaluation of comprehensive community initiatives. Theory of change is a structured process to help develop a description of how research links to development outcomes. Provides evidences to support the theories of change. The paper highlights throughout examples of the organisational use of theories of change, each of which attempts to go some way towards addressing the criticisms of the approach to date.
The theory of change, then, is a tool that can be used to explain and articulate the logical connection between a lower. Useful theory of change models canadian evaluation society. This theory of change on ending genderbased violence against women and girls consists of a diagram p. At the heart of the theories in this chapter is social stratification by class and power, and they are the most politicized of all criminological theories. Theory of change narrative the project is based on the theory that recruitment and retention of newly diagnosed people living with hiv plhiv into care and support groups will reduce the high rate of loss to follow up between the time of diagnosis and the commencement of art. Theory of change interacts with many other elements of project and program design, which.
More examples of actual theories of change may be viewed from a dfid publication found here. Example theory of change from prime project page 18. Drawing a picture of why your program should succeed. Center for child and human development, georgetown university, washington, d. Download pdf the hunger project 2011 these are examples of the theory of change developed by the hunger project for.
Thus, the theoretical framework consists of the selected theory or theories that undergirds your thinking with regards to how you understand and plan to research. Together they provide an overview of the interventions. Espa guide to working with theory of change for research projects. Two examples of theory of change are explored in this document. Systems theory also enables us to understand the components and dynamics of client systems in order to interpret problems and develop balanced inter. A theory of change for tackling violence against women and girls. This document provides examples of theories of change of different types. A theory of change for tackling violence against women and. Theory of change examples from gucchd and arizonas. The theory of change framework for the project can then help to guide stakeholder engagement approaches, communication, influencing and coproduction strategies, and.
Though this key factor is highlighted specifically in only one theory of change, it is a critical component to the successful application of all 10 theories. Theory of change page 5 the education sector1 identified four different researchbased theories to inform the evaluation. A guide to developing a theory of change as a framework for inclusive dialogue, learning and accountability for. As an example, proponents of an employment training program may. It is used primarily in the context of social and humanitarian problems, but it can be used in any context where human efforts intend change such as problems of engineering, policy, or design. An epitaph a childrens rights organization in south africa. The examples in this document are annotated according to the checklist. Theory of change food and nutrition technical assistance iii project.
Theories of change fulfil a number of different purposes, including strategic planning, communication, accountability and learning. In the case of the msp program, our best inference about. Lewins threestage model of change2 focuses on the driving forces that facilitate or hinder change, and how those. At its heart, theory of change spells out initiative or program logic. Kellogg foundation 65656565 developing a theoryof change logic model for your program drawing a picture of why your program should succeed hether you are a grantseeker developing a proposal for startup funds or a grantee with a program already in operation, developing a logic model. After all, a project is the ultimate test of a theory of change. As mentioned, a programs theory of change is more than identifying ends and means. One recommended approach is to develop an outcome map, a visual diagram. Theory of change outcome map the measurement system, such as a. Keystones theory of change interactive pdf template. Theory of change paper, unicef strategic plan, 2018 2021. Mar 18, 2016 by annmurray brown comments 0 community contribution.
Some good examples of using theories of change, especially in a. It also analyses possibilities for taking these principles forward in light of the results agenda. Developing a theoryof change logic model for your program w. Theory of change examples from gucchd and arizonas smart support program author. When we opt for one against the other, we do damage to good learning indeed, it is essential for a critical analysis of curriculum implementation to. Developing a theory of change keystone accountability. A practical tool for action, results and learning introduction there is nothing as practical as good theory. However, once you start to plan your evaluation, practical considerations such as available data and tools may mean the outcomes on your theory of change arent exactly what youre going to be measuring in your evaluation. Nov 20, 2015 the paper highlights throughout examples of the organisational use of theories of change, each of which attempts to go some way towards addressing the criticisms of the approach to date. A theory of change is a strategic overview of the multiple activities required to produce the short and medium term outcomes which need to occur to reach the long term outcome. Although theories of change are frequently discussed in the evaluation literature and there is general agreement on what a theory of change is conceptually, there is actually little agreement beyond the big picture of. The theory of change statement provides an opportunity to build consensus around strategies and opportunities for change. Theory of change examples from gucchd and arizonas smart. Pdf although frequently discussed in the evaluation literature and.
Georgetown universitys center for child and human developments theory of change was developed by deborah perry, ph. Creating the blueprint for your house cynthia grant, phd university of coloradodenver azadeh osanloo, phd new mexico state university the theoretical framework is one of the most important aspects in the research process, yet is often misunderstood by. Lewins threestage model of change2 focuses on the driving forces that facilitate or hinder change, and how those involved in the change agree that the change is necessary, collaborate towards the desired result and. It describes the change you want to make and the steps involved in making that change happen. This is a very recent example of a theory of change developed by fiver childrens foundation with actknowledge, which provide a key foundation for evaluation, communication, planning, organization and staff development.
So said harvard researcher carol weiss in her advice to communities engaged in ambitious transformation efforts. A theory of change is a diagram that explains how your project has an impact on young people. A theory of change explains how activities are understood to contribute to a series of results that produce the final intended impacts. Theory of change helps to build an impactorientation to guide research design. Theory of change slide 2 meteorological, political and social a theory of change is a set of diagrams and complementary text that describe, in detail, how outputs from interventions interact with. Espa guide to working with theory of change for research.
Slide presentation promoting toco theory of change online as an accessible, timesaving means of capturing, sharing, and communicating theories of. Example of how one organisation uses it change pathways for critical reflection. This paper complements the strategic plan by elaborating the broad theory of change. Theory of change and evaluation planning your theory of change is a vital step before planning your evaluation. Thus, it can be used to design, monitor and evaluate social change initiatives, including peacebuilding. There are different ways of developing and representing a theory of change. A theory of change focuses on explaining how and why the desired change is expected to come about. Mediumlength theoryofchange primer slide presentation. In this example, we will walk you through project superwomen, a real program that we worked on as evaluators. Useful theory of change models john mayne ottawa, ontario abstract.
Theory of change is most effective when it is used throughout the project cycle, from the outset of the research design. The theory of change, then, is a tool that can be used to explain and articulate the logical connection between a lower level result and a higher level result. Developing a theory of change for your project what is a theory of change. Since its birth in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the field of comprehensive community initiatives ccis has been struggling to find evaluation strategies and methodologies that. Theories of change also depict the assumptions that lie. Theory of change online toco is the only webbased software no download required that you can use to design and edit and store your theory of change, learn the concepts of theory of change, and capture your outcomes, indicators, rationales and assumptions in an interactive graphical environment. A theory of change is a tool that shows an organisations path from needs, to activities, to quality outcomes, to impact. Theory of change examples from gucchd and arizonas smart support program keywords.
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