A Theory of Change serves as a roadmap for your organisation, outlining the steps you will be taking to realise your goals.

It sets out and demonstrates how each step ties into the long-term organisational aims, and will provide you with insight into ensuring your work stays focused.

Importantly, the Theory of Change doesn’t just highlight the way in which your work ties into organisational goals. It allows you to spot potential risks that your plans may contain, by laying out the assumptions that underlie your steps. A well-developed Theory of Change especially helps organisations with multiple competing goals to link your projects and strategy together. 

The Theory of Change tool can also be incredibly useful for your individual team members, as it can highlight how their work feeds into larger goals, helping them see the impact that they make.

    

How do I use it?

To use the Theory of Change, first note down the problem you wish to resolve, as well as your long-term goal for what you wish to see changed. Once you have established the issue and the long-term goal, you can then begin to fill in the other boxes. The more specific you can be, the better, as this will help you create more effective solutions.

As you fill out the chart, make sure you provide options of practical steps at every stage. By keeping each step focussed on action, you can help keep your project driving forward.

At every stage, it is vital that you think about the underlying assumptions that will inform each element of the plan. This may allow you to spot areas of common risk between projects, or to see areas where different projects rely upon each other to achieve completion.

Resources:

Theory of Change Template

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