Outcome Mapping (OM) is an approach to project design and strategy that focuses on the outcomes defined as behavioural changes that a project aims to influence. This is in the form of a detailed vision and target transformation in selected actors (boundary partners) which, in turn, help guide the appropriate range of outputs to be implemented by the project. Outcome Mapping introduces monitoring and evaluation considerations at the planning stage of a project. It provides a set of tools to design and gather information on the behavioural change (outcomes), among the ‘boundary’ partners of a project and focuses on how that change happens. OM can be used as a standalone or in combination with others methodologies, such as Logframe Analysis or Most Significant Change (MSC).
Portfolios
Livestock Vaccine Innovation Fund (LVIF) projects
Signature Issue
In 2019 Right track Africa conducted outcome mapping trainings at inception workshops held by Livestock Vaccine Innovation Fund (LVIF) – Gender Projects program for the project team members in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. The LVIF project is funded by IDRC and it is titled: “Hearing their voices: Action research to support women’s agency and empowerment in livestock vaccine distribution, delivery and use in Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya”.
Overview
The workshops were attended by participants from the four project teams, led by a facilitator team from IDRC Canada and Kenya. Some of the workshop objectives were; to build a common understanding of what “Gender Inclusive Vaccine Distribution and Delivery Systems” means, and relate this knowledge to practical applications to strengthen each project; to discuss and refine theories of change for women’s empowerment in the livestock value chain and to understand IDRC reporting processes and expectations. The workshop process was a combination of presentations, plenary and group discussions.
Undugu Society
Signature Issue
Right Track Africa conducted an outcome mapping training in 2019 at a workshop which was organized by the TAKS project for its Undugu Society staff to learn Outcome Mapping (OM), and in the process learn how to develop work plans, outcome-oriented strategies, monitor and evaluate agreed behavioral transformation. The Undugu Society has been implementing the Taksvärkki’s funded project “Children and youth living and working on the street treated with love and dignity“between 2015-2017 in Kisumu and Nairobi Counties.
Overview
In the subsequent 2018 -2020 extension phase the TAKs project sought to strengthen its interventions and the team considered using Outcome Mapping to guide implementation, monitoring and assessment. This was driven by the team’s interest in focusing on behavioral change of various critical partners (or stakeholders) and the project’s relationship with them. The 4-day workshop took place at the Undugu Society field office in Dandora, Nairobi in February 2019. The objectives of the training and planning workshop were for Undugu society staff to learn about Outcome Mapping and how to develop reports that had effective outcome and/or impact level results.
Care International
Signature Issue
Julius Nyangaga, a consultant from Right Track Africa facilitated an outcome Mapping training at a workshop commissioned by CARE for its CARE Mozambique and working partners, including PACT, in Maputo in 2016. The workshop was organized to develop a common approach to planning, implementing and monitoring advocacy and capacity the platforms/networks and organization through outcome mapping tool in a gender perspective. CARE had a new Strategy with three broad objectives that OM was intended to support: 1. Enhanced productivity, adoptive capacity of women and girls, 2. Women and girls empowered to exercise their rights and influence decisions, 3. CARE and partner civil societies are empowered to promote development at scale. The training supported the implementation (and reporting) of this strategy with a strong outcome-oriented approach.
Overview
The outcome mapping session was a training/refresher process to help participants identify the actors of influence, build their capacity building, learn how to develop progress markers, and use outcome journals as part of the projects’ monitoring plan. The sessions were also to guide participants in performing practical exercises in a gender equality perspective and empowerment of women. The sessions were a combination of plenary and group discussions with participants trying out their understanding of the concepts on project activities they were familiar with. The process was interactive with participants given adequate space to ask questions and raise concerns about what the new concepts really meant in actual application.
ADRA and Salvation Army
Signature Issue
Training workshop on Outcome Mapping (OM) for the Salvation Army Sweden (TSA-SWE) and ADRA Sweden (ADRA-SWE) was conducted by Right Track Africa in Kenya and Malawi in October and November of 2019. The two organizations are funded by Swedish Mission Council
(SMC). Salvation Army and ADRA’s interest in Outcome Mapping was to develop their staff capacity in establishing a “clear vision of the human, social and environmental betterment to which their different programs and projects contribute to. One of the training was conducted in Blantyre, Malawi and the other in Nairobi in October and November 2019 respectively.
The Salvation Army is a Christian organization with articles of faith that emphasise God’s saving purposes. The organization mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. Salvation Army works in more than 130 countries with some of the poorest communities to restore the economic, social, ecological and spiritual relationships. The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is the global humanitarian organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. ADRA works through an international network to deliver relief and development assistance to communities, regardless of their ethnicity, political affiliation, or religious association. The objective is to improve the quality of life of millions through social justice; support to children; disaster response; gender equity; economic growth; community health; water, sanitation and hygiene; hunger and nutrition; livelihoods and agriculture.
Overview
The first training objective was mainly to improve the capacity of the organization’s staff in using outcome mapping for planning, monitoring, evaluation and learning their programs in Kenya, Uganda and South African countries. This was achieved through training project staff, selected community members and other partners for enhanced participation and greater ownership of development processes. The second was to improve the capacity of the trained staff in establishing progress markers together with key boundary partners in their community development work. This was to be achieved through training staff and partners in setting up realistic and measurable progress markers.