An Introduction to Outcome

Mapping
Tools for Planning, Monitoring & Evaluating
Development Projects and Programs

Objectives for this Session

1.

2.

Inspire you to search for and adapt

evaluation tools to fit your context & needs
Introduce key concepts & tools in Outcome
Mapping

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

The focus of Outcome

Mapping
prog
ra

m inf

luenc
e de

cit
a
p
a
ity c
n
u
m
com

crea
se s (

is rep
laced
)

changed behavior

ses
a
e
r
inc
p
i
h
s
ner
w
o
y&

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

7

OM: brief history

1990s: IDRCs 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

Three key concepts in

OM:
Sphere of influence
Recognizing changes in behaviour as
outcomes

Boundary Partners

There are limits to our influence

Project or
Program

Partners

sphere of
influence

Beneficiaries

sphere of
concern
10

Changes in behaviour as outcomes

inputs
activities
outputs

sphere of
influence

outcome
s
changes in

changes in
behaviour

conditions,
well-being

sphere of
concern

11

12

Step 1:

improved human, social, & environmental wellbeing

13

I have a dream!

Martin Luther King, Jr.

August 28, 1963
14

Step 2:

Mission

The mission is that bite of the

vision statement on which the
program is going to focus.
15

A mission statement describes:

What do you do?

Who are your principle collaborators?
How do you work with them?

16

Vision
about the future
concrete, observable

Mission
feasible

idealistic

identifies activities
and relationships

not about the program

about the program

17

Step 3: Who are our Boundary

Partners?

Project
or
Program

Boundary
Partners
Beneficiarie
s
other stakeholders

18

Farmers
participate
in field trials
using drip
irrigation
Extension workers
Participatory
visit demonstration
research on
farms
demonstration
farms
Training of
to develop
extension
approaches
workers
to drip irrigation
Publication of
performance of
different setups

Adapted from K. Kelpin, 2009

Farmers add to
own knowledge
of techniques
Farmers adopt
drip irrigation
methods

Extension workers
explain & promote drip
irrigation

Reduced
numbers of
new wells

Greater quantities
of groundwater
available

19

Step 5:

Progress Markers
Love to see

(Deep transformation)

Like to see
(Active engagement)

Expect to see
(Early positive responses)
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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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21

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

Expect to see Womens Self-Help Groups:
1. Holding regular meetings
2. Discussing a list of shared concerns
3. Contributing to a group bank account

Like to see Womens Self-Help Groups:

4. Soliciting training in maternal & child health for its members
5. Acquiring skills in managing credit programs
6. Lending money to members

Love to see Womens Self-Help Groups:

7. Lobbying local government for expenditures on community
improvements
8. Putting forth candidates for election to local government
council

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6 kinds of strategies
Causal

I
aimed at

Individual
boundary
partner

E
aimed at
boundary
partners

Environment

Strong,
direct
influence

Persuasive Supportive

Arouse new
thinking;
build skills,
capacity

Broad
Alter the
information
physical,
disseminatio
regulatory or
n;
information
environment
Access to
new info

Continuing
support

Create /
strengthen
peer
networks
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Step 6:

Strategy Map
causal

persuasiv supportiv
e
e

I
E
25

Step 7: Organizational Practices

How does your team or organization

stay relevant, viable and effective?

26

You:
keep learning
foster creativity & innovation
seek better ways to assist your
partners
maintain your niche
maintain high level support
build relationships
27

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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V is io n

M is s io n

Boundary Partners
about Outcomes

PRACTICES

OUTCOMES

Behaviors, Actions, Relationships of

STRATEGIES

Undertaken to Bring

ORGANIZATIONAL

BO UNDARY
PARTNER 1
O u tc o m e
C h a lle n g e

BO UNDARY
PARTNER 2
O u tc o m e
C h a lle n g e

BO UNDARY
PARTNER 3
O u tc o m e
C h a lle n g e

P ro g re s s M a rk e rs
L o v e to S e e

P ro g re s s M a rk e rs
L o v e to S e e

P ro g re s s M a rk e rs
L o v e to S e e

L ik e t o S e e

L ik e t o S e e

L ik e t o S e e

E x p e c t to S e e

E x p e c t to S e e

E x p e c t to S e e

S tra te g y M a p 1

S tra te g y M a p 2

S tra te g y M a p 3

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5 kinds of M&E Information

Contextual InformatIon

Program

Partner

State, status
or situational
data

Strategies

relevance & viability

(actions of the program)

implementation

outcomes
(behaviour changes in the
partners)

(interventions by the program)

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Operating Principles of OM:

Changes in well-being
Changes in behavior

Capacity includes the

power & responsibility to act
Need for diversified
strategies
Influence not control
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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In monitoring & evaluation:

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.
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