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its control. It's like when you give a man a fishing rod, but you cannot make him start fishing. But if he puts out a rod and line, it means the project is a success and the designers have achieved the desired outcome.
Outcome Mapping is based on systemic, or perhaps even ecosystemic approach. A team of project executors is a system in itself. People, groups, and organizations with which it interacts directly are situated on its outside borders. In the terms of Outcome Mapping method, they are called "boundary partners”, or a project's immediate partners.
A team of project executors is a system in itself. People, groups, and organizations with which it interacts directly are situated on its outside borders.
Creating a map of behavioral change implies holding one or several meeting in order to devise a system for monitoring and assessment as well as the plan of the project itself. Outcome Mapping process has three stages.
STAGE 1. FROM MISSION TO STRATEGY
The first stage involves coming up with a vision or a mission of a project, and identifying all groups and organizations with which the project will be in direct contact. A separate description is created for each of such group or organization, including a note on how its behavior must change as a result of the project's implementation. The IDRC method calls such descriptions “outcome challenge”, or, in other words, expected changes.
Then the team compiles a list of “progress markers” for each partner. This list includes specific changes in behavior that can be observed due to the project's impact. All these behavioral changes are spread across the scale that at the same time measures the comparative value and the probably of the expected changes actually happening according to project designers: “we expect to see”, “we would like to see” and “we would love to see”. It is obvious that such scale is very emotionally loaded, which is its distinctive advantage. After all, social projects involve people giving their hearts with a sincere desire to change something for the best, and it is a good thing when a planning method allows people to openly express their feelings.
A separate description of behavioral change is created for each group or organization. The IDRC method calls such descriptions “outcome challenge”.
Then the project creators define strategies for ensuring the desired changes and specific working principles that the project will adhere to. This is an interesting feature of the method: it implies right from the start that as the project proceeds, the authors will need to adjust their actions based on the data provided by monitoring and assessment system.
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An example of progress markets for desired changes in behavior of local communities as an outcome of Model Forest program.
OUTCOME CHALLENGE
The program intends to see local communities that recognize the importance of, and engage in the planning of resource management activities in partnership with other resource users in their region. These communities have gained the trust of the other members of the partnership and the recognition of government officials so that they can contribute constructively to debates and decision-making processes. They are able to clearly plan and articulate a vision of their forest management activities and goals that is relative to their context and needs. They call upon external technical support and expertise as appropriate. They act as champions for model forest concepts in their communities and motivate others in the partnership to continue their collaborative work.
PROGRESS MARKERS
Expect to see local communities:
1. Participating in regular Model Forest (MF) partnership meetings.
2. Establishing a structure for cooperation in the partnership that ensures that all local interests are represented (mechanics of setting up the structure).
3. Acquiring new skills for involvement in the MF.
4. Contributing the minimum human and financial resources necessary to get the MF operational.
Like to see local communities:
1. Articulating a vision for the MF that is locally relevant.
2. Promoting the MF concept and their experiences with MFs.
3. Expanding the partnership to include all the main forest users.
4. Calling upon external experts when necessary to provide information or meet technical needs.
5. Requesting new opportunities for training and extension.
6. Producing and disseminating concrete examples of benefits arising from MF examples.
7. Identifying opportunities for collaboration with other institutions and actors.
8. Identifying opportunities for, and successfully obtaining funding from a range of sources.
Love to see local communities:
1. Playing a lead role in resources management with view to long- and medium-term benefits.
2. Sharing lessons and experiences with other communities nationally and internationally to encourage other MFs.
3. Influencing national policy debate and policy formulation on resource use and management.
STAGE 2. MONITORING SYSTEM
The second stage in Outcome Mapping focuses on developing the monitoring system. The team sets up a working plan regarding the monitoring which identifies the actors, the methods and the timings of gathering information on progress markers, as well as who and how will use this data. At this stage, project authors create three journals based on offered templates: for monitoring changes among partners, for strategy implementation, and for the activities that are being conducted in accordance with the chosen principles.
The Outcome Mapping method can be considered very human-centered, because all of its descriptions are focused on human activities and on their emotional evaluation. Meanwhile, neuropsychologists claim that a human brain finds it most comfortable to operate within the categories of action, and the brain in general is tailored to observe other people.
STAGE 3. PROJECT ASSESSMENT PLAN
The third stage is coming up with a plan for project assessment. At this stage, project designers decide on who and how will use the assessment results, what questions need answering, who and how will collect the data required for evaluation, the timeframe for assessment process, and the related costs. A detailed assessment plan does not necessarily need to be devised immediately during project planning, it can be done on course of its
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