Understanding and implementing the Theory of Change: A guide for organisations
This article aims to demystify the theory of change and to make it a powerful tool for all organisations wishing to create a positive impact in their community.
What is the theory of change?
The theory of change describes how and why a series of actions will bring about change in a given context. It helps to define the activities, the expected results and the anticipated effects and impacts. It is essential to understand and make explicit the relationships between the cause and effects, as well as the success indicators. This enables organisations to choose the most relevant levers of action in their context.
Illustration of the theory of change for an organisation
To visualise the theory of change, imagine a stone thrown into a puddle of water: the stone represents the project inputs, the throw represents the activities, the splashes represent the results, and the ripples represent the effects. This metaphor illustrates the logic underlying a theory of change: specific actions lead to results, which in turn produce long-term effects and impacts.
Why clarify your theory of change?
Explaining your theory of change is crucial for organisations facing complex challenges. The theory of change highlights the causal relationships between actions and outcomes, making it possible to question and test the validity of hypotheses: if we do this… this will happen… and this will do that…
By expressing these causal links, organisations can also choose the most relevant levers for action: identify what they want to change, how and why they think these changes will occur. A clear theory of change also is a great tool to set success indicators – for results, effects and impacts, and to establish ways of measuring progress.
How do you build your theory of change?
Building a theory of change starts with the definition of a vision of the desired change. The next step is to identify the problems and obstacles that stand in the way of this vision, and the actions needed to overcome them. As a first step, the organisation can identify all the causes of the problem, even those it has no direct power on. It is important to use data, either from previous projects or from studies, to validate the links between cause and effect: one activity can have completely different effects in two different contexts. For example, offering scholarships to poor families to send their children to school may only have an effect on boys’ enrolment if the intervention does not address other factors, such as safety on the way to school, or the nature of the jobs accessible to women. Scholarships may even have no impact if schools are unable to take on more pupils due to a lack of buildings or teachers.
For example : offering scholarships to poor families to send their children to school may only have an effect on boys’ enrolment if the intervention does not address other factors, such as safety on the way to school, or the nature of the jobs accessible to women. Scholarships may even have no impact if schools are unable to take on more pupils due to a lack of buildings or teachers.
Also, it is crucial to specify objectives in a SMART way and to prioritize them while involving stakeholders.
Here is an example – Case study
Vision : All children in the region have access to quality education and complete at least primary education, enabling them to fulfill their potential and actively contribute to society.
Problems identified : Lack of access to educational resources, inadequate school infrastructure and family poverty limiting access to education.
Interventions and SMART objectives : Increase the school enrolment rate for girls and boys in the region by 20% over the next two years through school support programmes, the improvement of educational infrastructure and the allocation of grants to disadvantaged families.
In short, the theory of change is an essential tool for organisations seeking to create a lasting impact in their community. By defining a clear vision, identifying obstacles and planning strategic interventions, these organisations can achieve significant and positive change in their environment.
Other ressource on this topic 👉 https://www.scalechanger.org/en/ressources/maximising-impact-using-the-theory-of-change-to-guide-your-actions/
