systems thinking: working backwards, not backwards thinking hendrix-jenkins
TRANSCRIPT
Working
Backwards (not backwards thinking)
Ann Hendrix-Jenkins
Palladium
Soon: Health Policy Plus
October 9, 2015
Capacity
Development
Systems
Thinking
Social
and
Behavior
Change
M&E Other
Sectors
Community Level
* Local here
means…
“The aid game is changing: you are now in a
facilitating and brokering role.” (vs. expert)
– USAID
CD 1.0—training individuals. CD 2.0—supporting
organizations. CD 3.0—systems approach
Strengthen capacity, measure performance.
–David Jacobstein, USAID
USAID FORWARD, Local Systems
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Immediate implications
Outcome
Harvesting
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What is Outcome Harvesting?
Ricardo Wilson-Grau, Heather Britt, et al ~ Ford Foundation
Connected to Outcome Mapping
Harvest = “what changed, for whom, when and
where, why it matters to the development
objective—the significance of the change—and
how the program contributed to the change.” WB
Stakeholder-centered, qualitative, tacit knowledge
Process…
Works backwards.
What is an “outcome”?
“Observable changes in the behavior,
relationships, activities and actions of
social actors, who in turn were defined
as individuals, groups, organizations or
institutions that were influenced in a
small or large way, directly or indirectly,
intentionally or not by [your project
here].” (BioNET evaluation)
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Six Iterative Steps
1. Design the Outcome Harvest.
2. Gather data and draft outcome
descriptions
3. Engage change agents in describing
outcomes
4. Substantiate
5. Analyze and interpret
6. Support use of findings --Wilson Grau, Britt
Today’s Mini-
Harvest
activity
Today’s Mini-harvest
Consider the evidence and match
each to the two outcomes
Do they build a convincing case?
What else might be needed?
Mini-harvest Results
What can METSI and SBCHealth
learn about their intervention?
Do you see relevance of this
methodology to what you do?
World Bank conclusions re: OH
Capture tacit and
contextual knowledge
from program
implementation
Use for systematic
learning to maximize
benefits of
interventions
Triangulate outcomes with
other data to validate
results, particularly for
small projects
Seek evidence and
lessons from an
implementation process
Use for client reporting on
results and promoting
learning by doing
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Root Change example, Nigeria
STAR Index: measuring degree to which National Anchors and Cluster Members improved organizational capacity to effectively work as an advocacy cluster as a result of the SACE* program.
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Change Types 1. Adaptive Voice and Accountability Strategy and Tactics 2. Knowledge Exchange 3. Monitoring and Evaluation 4. Member Engagement 5. Member Development 6. Alliance Building 7. Innovation & Experimentation 8. Public Awareness
*Strengthening Advocacy and
Civic Engagement
Capacity
Development
Systems
Thinking
Social
and
Behavior
Change
M&E Other
Sectors
Community Level
Systems Thinking & M&E
• Barrier: Seems impossibly complicated
to some, i.e. What is a system? How to
draw bounds?
• Iteration and adaptation rather than
linear planning and execution
• Contribution not attribution
• Unintended outcomes are likely and
important—with M you can pick up en
route and iterate.
• Less proving, more improving. (Tx Janine)
Systems Thinking at Community Level
• Community is a system. (Duh!)
• How can systems thinking spotlight
additional “local” stakeholders?
• Implication of “Strengthen Capacity,
Measure Performance”? What is
community capacity? What does
community performance/outcome look
like?
• Capacity to contextualize, adapt, self
renew
System-oriented M & E as part of
capacity development process
for sustained transformation.
• Aligning understanding (constructivist,
schema, concept mapping—early and
often)
• Systematic thought, critical thinking
• Peer learning, dialogue
• Adaptation
• Innovation
• Integration (connecting dots skill set)