Theory of Change · Lindsey Novak Terminology Theory of Change Program Theory Causal Chain...

Preview:

Citation preview

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

Theory of Change

International Initiative for Impact Evaluation

Lindsey Novak International Initiative for Impact

Evaluation (3ie)

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

Terminology Theory of Change Program Theory Causal Chain Theory-Based Evaluation Logic Model

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

Terminology Theory of Change Program Theory Causal Chain Theory-Based Evaluation Logic Model

vs the “Black box” approach

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

Terminology Theory of Change Program Theory Causal Chain Theory-Based Evaluation Logic Model

vs the “Black box” approach

Ultimate goal: Answer the “why?” question

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

1. What is the program?

Questions

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

1. What is the program? 2. What outcomes does the program aim to

achieve?

Questions

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

1. What is the program? 2. What outcomes does the program aim to

achieve? 3. What intermediate steps lead to those

outcomes?

Questions

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

1.  What is the program? 2.  What outcomes does the program aim to

achieve? 3. What intermediate steps lead to those

outcomes? 4. What assumptions are associated with

each link in the causal chain?

Questions

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

1. What is the program?

Campaign for Clean Water

School-Based Malaria Intervention

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

School-Based Malaria Intervention

Malaria Intervention

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

2. What outcomes does the program aim to achieve?

School-Based Malaria Intervention

Village of Love

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

School-Based Malaria Intervention

Malaria Intervention

I N C R E A S E D K N O W L E D G E

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

3. What intermediate steps lead to those outcomes?

School-Based Malaria Intervention

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

School-Based Malaria Intervention

Reduced Clinical Attacks

Malaria Intervention Reduced

Asymptomatic Parasitemia

I N C R E A S E D K N O W L E D G E

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

School-Based Malaria Intervention

Increased School

Attendance

Reduced Clinical Attacks

Malaria Intervention Reduced

Asymptomatic Parasitemia

I N C R E A S E D K N O W L E D G E

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

School-Based Malaria Intervention

Increased School

Attendance

Reduced Clinical Attacks

Malaria Intervention Reduced

Asymptomatic Parasitemia

Reduced Anemia

I N C R E A S E D K N O W L E D G E

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

School-Based Malaria Intervention

Increased School

Attendance

Reduced Clinical Attacks

Malaria Intervention Reduced

Asymptomatic Parasitemia

Reduced Anemia

Improved Cognition

Increased Concentration

I N C R E A S E D K N O W L E D G E

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

1. What outcomes do you want to achieve? 2. What program will induce those

outcomes? 3. What pathways theoretically lead to those

outcomes? 4. What assumptions are associated with

each link in the causal chain?

School-Based Malaria Intervention

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

School-Based Malaria Intervention

Increased School

Attendance

Reduced Clinical Attacks

Malaria Intervention Reduced

Asymptomatic Parasitemia

Reduced Anemia

Improved Cognition

Increased Concentration

I N C R E A S E D K N O W L E D G E

Children adhere to full med regimen

Medicine is effective Students correctly

targeted - RDT devices accurate,

Teachers categorize correctly

Not considered substitution for

preventative measures

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

School-Based Malaria Intervention

Increased School

Attendance

Reduced Clinical Attacks

Malaria Intervention Reduced

Asymptomatic Parasitemia

Reduced Anemia

Improved Cognition

Increased Concentration

I N C R E A S E D K N O W L E D G E

Schools function sufficiently well – teachers are present and

teaching, teachers are knowledgeable

Binding constraint is addressed

Child labor doesn’t increase

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

•  Outcomes and assumptions can be tested by: – Counterfactual analysis

Data Collection

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

Increased School

Attendance

Reduced Clinical Attacks

Malaria Intervention Reduced

Asymptomatic Parasitemia

Reduced Anemia

Improved Cognition

Increased Concentration

I N C R E A S E D K N O W L E D G E

Schools function sufficiently well – teachers are present and

teaching, teachers are knowledgeable

Binding constraint is addressed

Child labor doesn’t increase

Medicine is effective Students correctly

targeted - RDT devices accurate,

Teachers categorize correctly

Children adhere to full med regimen

Not considered substitution for

preventative measures

Data Collection

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

•  Outcomes and assumptions can be tested by: – Counterfactual analysis – Factual analysis

Data Collection

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

Increased School

Attendance

Reduced Clinical Attacks

Malaria Intervention Reduced

Asymptomatic Parasitemia

Reduced Anemia

Improved Cognition

Increased Concentration

I N C R E A S E D K N O W L E D G E

Schools function sufficiently well – teachers are present and

teaching, teachers are knowledgeable

Binding constraint is addressed

Child labor doesn’t increase

Medicine is effective Students correctly

targeted - RDT devices accurate,

Teachers categorize correctly

Children adhere to full med regimen

Not considered substitution for

preventative measures

Data Collection

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

•  Outcomes and assumptions can be tested by: – Counterfactual analysis – Factual analysis

– Some outcomes and assumptions cannot be measured or tested

Data Collection

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

Increased School

Attendance

Reduced Clinical Attacks

Malaria Intervention Reduced

Asymptomatic Parasitemia

Reduced Anemia

Improved Cognition

Increased Concentration

I N C R E A S E D K N O W L E D G E

Higher Test

Scores

Test accurately measures knowledge

Medicine is effective

Students correctly targeted

- RDT devices accurate, Teachers

categorize correctly

Children adhere to full med regimen

Not considered substitution for

preventative measures

Binding constraint is addressed

Child labor doesn’t increase

Schools function sufficiently well – teachers are present and

teaching, teachers are knowledgeable

Data Collection

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

Criticisms of Theory of Change

•  Over-simplify the program

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

Campaign Against Child Marriage in Bihar & Jharkhand Breakthrough & Catalyst Management Services

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

Criticisms of Theory of Change

•  Over-simplify the program •  Long-term effects not considered

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

I N C R E A S E D K N O W L E D G E

Better Labor Market

Outcomes

Healthier & Smarter

Children Next Generation

Higher Incomes

Long Term Effects

Reduced Poverty

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

Criticisms of Theory of Change

•  Over-simplify the program •  Long-term effects not considered •  Unintended consequences not considered

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

Increased School

Attendance

Reduced Clinical Attacks

Malaria Intervention Reduced

Asymptomatic Parasitemia

Reduced Anemia

Improved Cognition

Increased Concentration

I N C R E A S E D K N O W L E D G E

Unintended Consequences

Not considered substitution for

preventative measures

Child labor doesn’t increase

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

Criticisms of Theory of Change

•  Over-simplify the program •  Long-term effects not considered •  Unintended consequences not considered •  Does not consider that program to

outcomes is not uni-directional

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

Increased School

Attendance

Reduced Clinical Attacks

Malaria Intervention Reduced

Asymptomatic Parasitemia

Reduced Anemia

Improved Cognition

Increased Concentration

I N C R E A S E D K N O W L E D G E

Feedback

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

Criticisms of Theory of Change

•  Over-simplify the program •  Long-term effects not considered •  Unintended consequences not considered •  Does not consider that program to

outcomes is not uni-directional •  Heterogeneous effects are not considered

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

Increased School

Attendance

Reduced Clinical Attacks

Malaria Intervention Reduced

Asymptomatic Parasitemia

Reduced Anemia

Improved Cognition

Increased Concentration

I N C R E A S E D K N O W L E D G E

Heterogeneous Effects Binding

constraint is addressed

Disaggregate by Distance to School

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

•  What is the best time to create a theory of change? – During the program design – Before data collection – Before data analysis

Timing

www.3ieimpact.org Lindsey Novak

Closing Remarks

•  Ultimate goal: Answer the “why?” question •  Identifies assumptions and creates

testable hypotheses •  Identifies areas of potential weakness in

the program •  Can be created for new and existing

programs