Designing a Results Framework for Achieving Results: A How-To Guide

by Independent Evaluation Group (IEG)

From the Introduction

A results framework serves as a key tool in the development landscape, enabling practitioners to discuss and establish strategic development objectives and then link interventions to intermediate outcomes and results that directly relate to those objectives. This publication provides how-to guidance for developing results frameworks by discussing the
following:

■ The definition of a results framework. What is it? How does a results framework complement and differ from a traditional monitoring and evaluation logical framework?

■ Uses for results frameworks. What are the functions of a results framework? At what levels can one be developed and used effectively?

■ Requirements to design a results framework. Is there an assessment and diagnosis process to understand the problem and desired results before the design and implementation of the intervention is developed? Does the team adequately understand the problem that a development intervention is designed to address? Has the program or project logic been defined?

■ Designing a results framework step by step. What are the steps in formulating a results framework? How should practitioners establish strategic objectives and articulate the expected results? What is the process through which results, indicators, and data sources can be assigned for each level of desired result (output, outcome, and impact)? What are the criteria for designing a useful results framework? Who should be involved in developing and using the framework?

■ Challenges. What are the potential pitfalls in developing results frameworks? What strategies help in avoiding these?

This publication also provides various examples or excerpts of results frameworks used at various levels (for example, country, project, and organization) and offers references for further support to practitioners in designing and using results frameworks for development effectiveness.

50 pages, PDF

Published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Alejandro Teruel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise introduction and guide to the Results Framework first introduced by the World Bank for country assistance assessments in 2005 and used for UN Millenium Goals interventions or projects but which appear to be perfectly applicable to SDGs.

The framework identifies inputs, activities and results, but focuses on results which, in this book, are categorized into outputs and outcomes:

There are many debates, and considerable controversy, on the distinctions among outputs, outcomes, and impact. A generally useful approach is to consider outputs as the particular goods or services provided by an intervention (for example, nutrition supplements), whereas an outcome is usefully thought of as benefits of that particular good or service to the target population (such as improved nutrition intake), and impact refers to evidence on whether outcomes are actually changing beneficiary behavior or longer-term conditions of interest (for example, improved eating habits, a healthier population). The key is to distinguish between the provision of goods and services (which involves supply-side activities) and actual demand for and/or utilization of those goods and services (demand-side response).

This book does include further treatment of impacts, or at least not mentioned as such. The interesting and intriguing distinction between supply-side activities and demand-side responses is another curious omission from the rest of the book.

The authors include some excellent real-life examples which are very helpful for understanding how to apply the framework.

The section on Understanding of Problems and Needs Assessment quickly and effectively cuts to the chase.

The heart of the work is the concise and well written seven step Step by Step Guide covering:

1. Establish Strategic Objective(s) for the Problem(s) to Be Addressed;

2. Identify and Work with Stakeholders, in which the identification of key stakeholder types opr parties is particularly important;

3. Define Results (Outputs and Outcomes);

4. Identify Critical Assumptions and Risks;

5. Review Available Data Sources and Specify Indicators;

6. Assign Indicators and Data Sources for Each Level of Result, which briefly but importantly highlights the importance of choosing a minimal number of indicators and the usefulness of existing proxy indicators;

7. Establish the Performance Monitoring Plan.

The final section on Challenges feels rushed and somewhat disappointing. It is worth pointing out that in 2015, specialists pointed out that:

...a recent learning review of our validation of CAS completion reports (replaced by Completion and Learning Reviews) identified weaknesses in many of the results frameworks reviewed over time, including: a focus on inputs and outputs rather than outcomes; poor M&E systems, including indicators that do not "fit" associated objectives; and, perhaps most importantly, weak results chains.

Designing an effective operational results chain is possibly the most critical and challenging task in developing the results framework for a country strategy. The results chain is intended to present a logical statement of how planned WBG interventions will lead to the realization of objectives, beginning with inputs, moving through activities and outputs, culminating in outcomes, impacts, and feedback. A well designed results chain identifies risks and makes explicit any underlying assumptions about client (government) or other stakeholder (e.g., firms, CSOs, communities) actions. A clearly constructed, logical results chain is critical to accountability, mid-course correction, and learning, and is also integral to exercising selectivity.

I am sure there are more recent and possibly more complete book on either this framework or more recent evidence-based frameworks, but this is a good concise but preliminary introduction to key issues in designing interventions for SDGs, especially for students unfamiliar with with the field of socio-economic aid through interventions. The book downplays the importance of building a dynamic model based on feedback cycles, a necessary step for more serious use. If you are interested in this area and are a newcomer to it, I would recommend you explore the Univeristy of the Witwatersrand (Wits University) edX MOOC on Theory of Change.