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Developing a program logic
A program logic outlines the theory of change that underpins a project by mapping out the pathway from project activities and outputs to short, intermediate, and long-term outcomes. It is developed using a backcasting process where stakeholders envision the desired long-term outcomes and work backwards to identify the prerequisites for achieving those outcomes. The program logic provides a roadmap for how the project will achieve its intended results through clearly connecting the planned work to the expected results.
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Developing a program logic
- 1. Developing a ProgramLogic
- 2. What is aProgram Logic? A program logic is like a roadmap for a project that sets out how a project will achieve its desired outcomes. YOUR PLANNED WORK YOUR INTENDED RESULTS
- 3. Other terms youmay use or see include: – Outcome logic – Outcome model – Logic model – Outcome hierarchy The main thing to remember is that the program logic outlines the theory of change (or theory of action) that underpins your project Program Logic
- 4. Theory of Change Thisis the pathway to reaching your destination. For example, in order to be complete a project evaluation, you need to learn about evaluation (knowledge) and then undertake an evaluation (practice) to reach the end goal.
- 5. The Process Organise a workshopwith the key stakeholders involved in the project Identify the core goal and objectives of the project Collectively brainstorm the theory of change that leads to the outcomes being achieved
- 6. How to constructa program logic Use a backcasting process, where you start by envisioning the future state (i.e. the long-term outcomes) and work backwards to identify what needs to happen in order to create the desired future.
- 7. Backcasting Example LONG-TERM OUTCOME Solarhot water installed on all homes
- 8. Backcasting Example LONG-TERM OUTCOME Solarhot water installed on all homes INTERMEDIATE OUTCOME Increased uptake of solar hot water
- 9. Backcasting Example LONG-TERM OUTCOME Solarhot water installed on all homes INTERMEDIATE OUTCOME Increased uptake of solar hot water SHORT-TERM OUTCOME Increased knowledge of benefits of solar hot water SHORT-TERM OUTCOME Increased uptake of financial incentives for solar hot water
- 10. Backcasting Example LONG-TERM OUTCOME Solarhot water installed on all homes INTERMEDIATE OUTCOME Increased uptake of solar hot water SHORT-TERM OUTCOME Increased knowledge of benefits of solar hot water SHORT-TERM OUTCOME Increased uptake of financial incentives for solar hot water OUTPUTS Brochures added to energy bills OUTPUTS Financial incentives provided to households
- 11. A program logiccan be presented from….. Bottom - Up Left to Right OR
- 12. INPUTS Staff, Money, Previous research Presenting the finallogic from left to right…
- 13. INPUTS Staff, Money, Previous research ACTIVITIES Events or processes to meetneeds / Objectives Presenting the final logic from left to right… What will you do in your project?
- 14. INPUTS Staff, Money, Previous research OUTPUTS Units of service deliveredto stakeholders / to meet project objectives ACTIVITIES Events or processes to meet needs / Objectives Presenting the final logic from left to right… What will you do in your project? What will you deliver?
- 15. INPUTS Staff, Money, Previous research OUTPUTS Units of service deliveredto stakeholders / to meet project objectives SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES Changes in knowledge, awareness, convenience, motivation etc ACTIVITIES Events or processes to meet needs / Objectives Presenting the final logic from left to right… What will you do in your project? What will you deliver? What do you hope this achieves?
- 16. INPUTS Staff, Money, Previous research OUTPUTS Units of service deliveredto stakeholders / to meet project objectives SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES Changes in knowledge, awareness, convenience, motivation etc INTERMEDIATE OUTCOMES Changes in behaviour, actions, practices, decisions or policies ACTIVITIES Events or processes to meet needs / Objectives Presenting the final logic from left to right… What will you do in your project? What will you deliver? What do you hope this achieves? If the short- term outcomes are achieved….?
- 17. INPUTS Staff, Money, Previous research OUTPUTS Units of service deliveredto stakeholders / to meet project objectives SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES Changes in knowledge, awareness, convenience, motivation etc INTERMEDIATE OUTCOMES Changes in behaviour, actions, practices, decisions or policies LONG-TERM OUTCOMES Environmental, Social, Economic changes ACTIVITIES Events or processes to meet needs / Objectives Presenting the final logic from left to right… What will you do in your project? What will you deliver? What do you hope this achieves? If the short- term outcomes are achieved….? And what is your overall aim?
- 18. INPUTS Staff, Money, Previous research OUTPUTS Units of service deliveredto stakeholders / to meet project objectives SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES Changes in knowledge, awareness, convenience, motivation etc INTERMEDIATE OUTCOMES Changes in behaviour, actions, practices, decisions or policies LONG-TERM OUTCOMES Environmental, Social, Economic changes ACTIVITIES Events or processes to meet needs / objectives Your planned work Your intended results
- 19. INPUTS Staff, Money, Previous research OUTPUTS Units of service deliveredto stakeholders / to meet project objectives LONG-TERM OUTCOMES Environmental, Social, Economic impacts ACTIVITIES Events or processes to meet needs / objectives Use" action” words: eg Engage, develop, deliver etc Use past tense, eg. … reduced, presented etc SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES Changes in knowledge, awareness, convenience, motivation INTERMEDIATE OUTCOMES Changes in behaviour, actions, practices, decisions or policies
- 20. INPUTS OUTPUTS SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES INTERMEDIATE OUTCOMES LONG-TERM OUTCOMES ACTIVITIES From bottom -up These are the immediate results of your outputs, such as increased skills, knowledge, convenience, motivation These are the results of the increased skill or knowledge, such as changes in behaviour, or specific actions undertaken These are often beyond the scope of the project, but are important to identify, such as “reduced resource use” These refer to activities like “hold 3 workshops”, “develop brochures” etc These refer to the results of the activities, such as “50 people attended workshops”, “500 brochures distributed” This is what you bring to the project
- 21. An example programlogic for this online toolbox
- 22. Things to remember… •A program logic should not be a detailed task list of everything you will do (you can do that in a project plan) • It should outline what you hope to achieve (your intended result) and how you will do this (your planned work) • A program logic provides a guide as to what you should monitor and evaluate
- 23. Next Step • Usethe program logic as a guide to developing monitoring questions for your monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan.