1. RAPID Outcome Mapping Approach
Me, ODI, RAPID, EBP
Simon Hearn, ODI
16 April 2010
Bern, Switzerland

2. Policy makers do not... Identify the problem Commission research
Analyse the results
Choose the best option
Policy processes are very rarely linear and logical. Simply presenting research results to policymakers and expecting them to put it into practice is very unlikely to work.
Establish the policy
Implement the policy
Evaluation

3. Policy processes are... Cabinet Donors Parliament Civil Society
Monitoring and Evaluation
Agenda
Setting
Decision
Making
Policy Implementation
Policy Formulation
Parliament
Civil Society
Ministries
Private Sector
Slide: John Young, ODI

4. Evidence / science based Interest / values based
Forms of influencing
Evidence / science based
Advising
Advocacy
Cooperation (inside track)
Confrontation (outside track)
Lobbying
Activism
What do we mean by influencing?
Advising – e.g. Think tanks, advisory councils
Advocacy – e.g. Environmental campaigning
Lobbying – e.g. Corporations, special interest groups
Activism – e.g. GreenPeace
Interest / values based

5. The six lessons They were lessons for us 5 or 6 years ago.
Policy processes and social realities are complex
Research plays a minor role in policy and practice
But it is possible for research to play a role
Must understand landscape
Policy and social entrepreneurs need a set of skills
Intent is necessary!
They were lessons for us 5 or 6 years ago.
Now they are more or less accepted as reality.

6. Start by defining your policy objectives
ROMA steps
RAPID
Outcome
Mapping
Start by defining your policy objectives
Brief overview of the process we have developed.
The process is based on the Outcome Mapping methodology, which covers the majority of the steps and provides the underlying principles that make this approach suitable for monitoring and learning – tomorrow
RAPID has added additional steps at the beginning to make it more usable for influencing policy – today

7. An analytical framework
The political context – political and economic structures and processes, culture, institutional pressures, incremental vs radical change etc.
The evidence – credibility, the degree it challenges received wisdom, research approaches and methodology, simplicity of the message, how it is packaged etc
External Influences
Socio-economic and cultural influences,
donor policies etc
The links between policy
and research communities – networks, relationships, power, competing discourses, trust, knowledge etc.
How to get info? Done PEA.
Map political context
Identify key stakeholders
Identify desired changes
Develop an engagement strategy
Analyse internal capacity to affect change
Establish Monitoring and learning systems

8. The AIIM tool Map actors on the matrix
High
Map actors on the matrix
Identify which are the most influential
Who do you work with directly?
Develop enthusiasm to address topic
Learn in partnership
General level of alignment
Develop awareness and enthusiasm
Challenge existing beliefs
The second step is to identify the key influential stakeholders. RAPID’s Alignment, Interest and Influence Matrix (AIIM) can be used to map actors along three dimensions: the degree of alignment with the proposed policy (on the y axis), their level of interest in the issue (on the x axis), and their ability to exert influence on the policy process (on the z axis – or by otherwise indicating their degree of influence on the 2-dimensional matrix). Actors who are highly interested and highly aligned should be natural allies and collaborators, actors who are highly interested but not aligned are potential obstacles, and need to be brought into alignment, or somehow prevented from creating obstacles. Stimulating enthusiasm among powerful actors who are highly aligned but not interested can increase the chance of success. Stimulating enthusiasm among actors who are not highly aligned risks creating more enemies unless they can also be brought into alignment. Their level of influence will help identify key target audiences.
More relavent than stakeholder analysis
Could use sna
Low
Low
Interest in specific topic
High
Map political context
Identify key stakeholders
Identify desired changes
Develop an engagement strategy
Analyse internal capacity to affect change
Establish Monitoring and learning systems

9. Types of policy change Discursive changes Procedural changes
Content changes
Attitudinal changes
Discursive changes: These refer to changes in the labels or narratives of policy actors. They reflect a new or improved understanding of a subject -- even if it does not imply an effective change of policy or practice.
Procedural changes: These refer to changes in the way certain processes are undertaken. For example, the incorporation of consultations to otherwise closed processes, or small changes in the way that national policies are implemented in the field.
Content changes: These refer to changes in the content of policies including strategy papers, legislation and budgets. These are formal changes in the policy framework. 
Attitudinal changes: These refer to changes in the way policy actors think about a given issue. This might be an important change to target in the event that key stakeholders have high influence but lack interest in a policy area or are not necessarily aligned with the policy objectives of the programme.
Behavioural changes: These refer to more durable changes in the way that policy actors behave (act or relate to others) as a consequence of formal and informal changes in discourse, process and content.
Behavioural changes
Map political context
Identify key stakeholders
Identify desired changes
Develop an engagement strategy
Analyse internal capacity to affect change
Establish Monitoring and learning systems

10. Force Field Analysis 4 2 2 1 ? ? ? ? 4 1 2 ? Total = ? 5* 3 ?
Your influence on the force 4 2 ?
Your influence on the force
Funds
CSOs
Public demand ?
Positive forces
MEF
Time ?
Negative forces
Plan:
Minister of Trade puts forward pro-poor trade and complementary policy programme to the cabinet by April 2008 4 1 2 ?
Total = ? 5* 3 ?
Total = ?
Having identified the necessary behavior changes, the fourth step is to develop a strategy to achieve the milestone changes in the process. There are many strategic planning tools that can be used for this. Force Field Analysis is a flexible tool that can be used to identify the forces supporting and opposing the desired change and suggest concrete responses. The forces can be ranked first according to their degree of influence over the change, and then according to the degree of control it is possible for the project team to exert over them. Activities can then be identified to reduce the high negative forces and to increase low positive forces. Sometimes it is not possible to influence actors directly and it is necessary to target others who can influence them. This might mean rethinking the priority stakeholders. A Strategy Map can also be a useful way of visualising the emerging strategy to identify common lines of action and facilitate coordination.
Map political context
Identify key stakeholders
Identify desired changes
Develop an engagement strategy
Analyse internal capacity to affect change
Establish Monitoring and learning systems 10 10

11. SWOT Analysis
What type of policy influencing skills and capacities do we have?
In what areas have our staff used them more effectively?
Who are our strongest allies?
When have they worked with us?
Are there any windows of opportunity?
What can affect our ability to influence policy?
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
The fifth step is to consider the competencies required to successfully operationalise the strategy. Complexity theory conceptualizes competence as an evolving set of systems, processes and skills to enable actors to make the right decisions and act, rather than a pre-determined set of capabilities.
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis is another useful tool to identify whether a project has the necessary resources to achieve its objectives, which also recognizes the potential impact of external influences.
Skills and abilities
Funding lines
Commitment to positions
Contacts and Partners
Existing activities
Other orgs relevant to the issue
Resources: financial, technical, human
Political and policy space
Other groups or forces
Map political context
Identify key stakeholders
Identify desired changes
Develop an engagement strategy
Analyse internal capacity to affect change
Establish Monitoring and learning systems

12. The Three Stages
OUTCOME MAPPING: Building Learning and Reflection into Development Programs Sarah Earl, Fred Carden, and Terry Smutylo
Outcome Mapping is a project planning, monitoring and evaluation tool that has been developed by IDRC. It includes a series of steps before during and after a project. More information about this can be found on the IDRC web site.
M&L based on OM. Want the planning tools to become the M&L. E.g can use
Map political context
Identify key stakeholders
Identify desired changes
Develop an engagement strategy
Analyse internal capacity to affect change
Establish Monitoring and learning systems

13. Start by defining your policy objectives
For example:
RAPID Framework
Drivers of Change
Power Analysis
SWOT
Influence Mapping
Force Field Analysis
For example:
AIIM
Stakeholder analysis
Influence Mapping
Social Network Analysis
Force Field Analysis
Start by defining your policy objectives
For example:
Progress Markers
Opportunities and Threats timeline
Policy Objectives
AIIM
Force Field Analysis
For example:
Log Frame (flexible)
Outcome Mapping
Journals or impact logs
Internal monitoring tools
Flexible framework to bring in other tools
For example:
Force Field Analysis
For example:
Policy entrepreneur questionnaire
SWOT
Internal performance frameworks
For example:
Publications, public relations
Media and events
Negotiation and advice
Develop a network or coalition
Research