making knowledge count maximising the value of research for development

Making Knowledge Count Maximising the value of Research for DevelopmentJohn Young: ODI, [email protected]

Programme

1. Policy Mapping / Planning

1.1 Policy Process Mapping

1.2 Outcome Mapping

Lunch

2. Communications & KM

2.1 Communication

2.2 Knowledge Management andLearning

Workshop Session 1.1

Policy Process Mapping

Mapping Political Contexts• Civil Society Index (CIVICUS) • Country Policy & Institutional Assessment

(World Bank)• Democracy and Governance Assessment

(USAID) • Drivers of Change (DFID) • Governance Questionnaire (GTZ) • Governance Matters (World Bank Institute) • Power Analysis (Sida) • World Governance Assessment

Merilee Grindle’s Approach1. Identify the policy reform – the decision to

be made

2. Political Interests Map – the actors and “politics”

3. Institutional Contexts Map – the organisations and processes involved

4. Circle of influence graphic – supporters and opponents and their power

5. Policy process Matrix – what needs to be done when

6. Communications Strategy

The RAPID Approach1. Identify the policy issue2. Identify the key actors (individuals) &

produce an influence map3. Identify the key actors

(organisations) and processes & produce a policy process map

4. Identify the key individuals in key processes & what they need to make a decision

5. Identify the research/evidence that is needed

SMEPOL Project Egypt

An Exercise1. Identify 1 or 2 Policy Issues2. Identify the key actors (individuals) &

produce an influence map3. Identify the key actors

(organisations) and processes & produce a policy process map

4. Identify the key individuals in key processes & what they need to make a decision

5. Identify the research/evidence that is needed


Outcome Mapping

What is it?• an integrated PM&E tool• a system to think holistically & strategically

about how we intend to achieve result• an approach that focuses on changes in the

behaviour, relationships or actions of partners (as outcomes)

• a methodology that characterizes and assesses the program’s contributions to the achievement of outcomes

• an approach for designing in relation to the broader development context but assessing within your sphere of influence

Focus - Behaviour Change

Terminology• Outcomes: changes in behaviours,

relationships, activities and/or actions of the people, groups and organisations with whom we work

• Vision: the broad human, social and environmental betterment we desire

• Mission: how we intend to contribute towards the achievement of the vision

• Boundary partners: individuals, groups and organisations with whom we interact directly to effect change

• Outcome challenges: changes behaviours of the boundary partners as identified by the vision

The Three Stages

Main Elements

OUTCOME MAPPING:Building Learning and Reflection into Development ProgramsSarah Earl, Fred Carden, and Terry Smutylo

http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-9330-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html

Exercise

1. Identify Vision (changed behaviour)

2. Identify key actors and boundary partners

3. What are they doing now?

4. How does it need to change?

5. What are the steps?

6. What can be done to help them make the changes?

7. How will you measure the change?


Communication

Why communicate?• To disseminate our research results

• To provide information

• To aid our research process

• To engage with specific groups

• To facilitate (public) discussion

• To lead to change

But…

more communication

≠ more change

Communications Toolkit• Planning Tools• Packaging Tools• Targeting Tools• Monitoring Tools

Communications Toolkit• Planning Tools

– Stakeholder Analysis – Social Network Analysis – Problem Tree Analysis – Force Field Analysis – National Systems of

Innovation (NSI) – How to Write a

Communications Strategy • Packaging Tools• Targeting Tools• Monitoring Tools

Key skill:to understand

What does to understand mean?

UNAIDS (1999):

• Government

• Socio-economic status

• Culture

• Gender

• Spirituality

Communications Toolkit• Planning Tools• Packaging Tools

– Visioning Scenarios: Show the Future

– Tell a Story – Provide a Solution – Use Surprise – Be Persuasive

• Targeting Tools• Monitoring Tools

Key skill:to inspire

What does to inspire mean?Dagron (2001):

“We have come to appreciate the true power of face-to-face and voice-to-voice communication. Every meaningful lesson or belief I’ve garnered in life came from someone I value explaining the issue to me and involving me in the process of figuring out the solution.”

(Preface by Gray-Felder)

Communications Toolkit• Planning Tools• Packaging Tools• Targeting Tools

– Writing Policy Papers – Building a CoP– Lobbying – Using Email – Websites – Blogging – Media Engagement – Radio

• Monitoring Tools

Key skill:to inform

What does it mean to inform?

• HCP (2003): Most young people in Windhoek believe that ‘abstinence’ means ‘to be absent’

• Lambert (2001): Among a group of women in India, sex could only be discussed in whispers

• Senior policymaker: “I don’t have time to learn”

Communications Toolkit• Planning Tools• Packaging Tools• Targeting Tools• Monitoring Tools

– Most Significant Change (MSC)

– Outcome Mapping – Researcher Checklist – CFSC Integrated Mode Key skill:

to learn

What does it mean to learn?

What are the indicators of success? • Access• Reception• Response• Understanding• Uptake• Change in policy• Change in practice

In conclusion…More communication ≠ more change• But better communication can lead to

change.

Key skills: • to understand, • to inspire, • to inform, and • to learn.

Exercise

• Who is your key Audience?

• How do they like to learn?

• What forms of communication do you use now?

• What other forms of communication might be more effective?


KM & Learning

KM & Learning for Policy Impact

ODI work on KM:• Literature review• Developing KM in ODI• Review of KM in

Development Agencies• Advisory work• KM Toolkit

What is KM & Learning?

“… keeping track of people who ‘know the recipe’….

“…every time we do something again we should do it better than the last time…”

Goals ResultsActivities

Learnduring

Learnafter

Learnbefore

External networks; Colleagues; Information assets; Own knowledge

Different learning styles…

Reflector

Theorist

Activist

Pragmatist

Different forms of knowledge

StartHas it been articulated?

Can it been articulated?

Explicit Tacit

Implicit

Y N

Y

N

…and different processes…

Too much information…

Tools for different processes• Different tools are good for different

processes:

– Creation of knowledge

– Mapping and identifying knowledge

– Sharing knowledge

– Managing and storing knowledge

– Learning

KM Toolkit• Strategy Development• Management Techniques• Collaboration Mechanisms• Knowledge Sharing and

Learning Processes• Knowledge Capture and

Storage

KM Toolkit• Strategy Development

– The Five Competencies Framework

– Knowledge Audit – Social Network Analysis – Most Significant Change – Outcome Mapping – Scenario Testing and Visioning

• Management Techniques• Collaboration Mechanisms• Knowledge Sharing and


Storage

KM Toolkit• Strategy Development• Management Techniques

– The SECI Approach – Blame vs Gain Behaviours – Force Field Analysis – Activity-based Knowledge

Mapping – Structured Innovation – Reframing Matrix

• Collaboration Mechanisms• Knowledge Sharing and


Storage

KM Toolkit• Strategy Development• Management Techniques• Collaboration Mechanisms

– Teams: Virtual and Face-to-Face

– Communities of Practice – Action Learning Sets – Six Thinking Hats – Mind Maps – Social Technologies

• Knowledge Sharing and Learning Processes

• Knowledge Capture and Storage


Learning Processes– Stories – Peer Assists – Challenge Sessions – After Action Reviews and

Retrospects – Intranet Strategies – Email Guidelines

• Knowledge Capture and Storage



Storage– Taxonomies for Documents and

Folders – Exit Interviews – How To Guides – Staff Profile Pages – Blogs – Shared Network Drives

Starts with the attitude that someone has probably already done what I am about to do.

I wonder who?”

Learning before: Peer Assist

A peer assist is a meeting or workshop where people are invited from other groups and organisations to share their experience, insights and knowledge with a team who have requested some help early on in a piece of work

Peer Assist

• targets a specific technical or commercial challenge;

• gains assistance and insights from people outside the team;

• identifies possible approaches and new lines of inquiry;

• promotes sharing of learning with each other; and• develops strong networks amongst people involved

Peer Assist

What you know in your context

What I know in my context

"...the politics accompanying

hierarchies hampers the free

exchange of knowledge. People

are much more open with their peers. They are

much more willing to share and to

listen”

What weboth know

What’spossible

?

ActionMultiplying Knowledge

Stories of change

1. Situation

2. A change or challenge

3. Action

4. Result

5. Lesson

Learning During: Stories

An after action review asks 4 simple questions:

15 minute team debrief, conducted in a “rank-free” environment.

Learning after: AAR

• What was supposed to happen?

• What actually happened?• Why was there a

difference?• What can we learn from it?

Knowledge Audit• What are the core tasks?• What do the people doing them need

to know?• How is the knowledge generated?• How is it stored and accessed?• Any problems?• What are the relationships between

producers and users?• How could it be improved?• Any leadership issues?• Any incentive problems?

Exercise 1 – An AAR

Exercise 2 – A Knowledge Audit

• How is the knowledge generated?

• How is it stored and accessed?

• How is it used?

• Any problems?

• How could it be improved?

Further Information• Mapping Political Context: A Toolkit for Civil

Society Organisations. Robert Nash, Alan Hudson and Cecilia Luttrell

• Tools for Knowledge and Learning: A guide for development and humanitarian organisations. Ben Ramalingam

• A Toolkit for Progressive Policymakers in Developing Countries. Sophie Sutcliffe and Julius Court

• Successful Communication: A Toolkit for Researchers and Civil Society Organisations Ingie Hovland,

• Tools for Policy Impact: A Handbook for Researchers Daniel Start and Ingie Hovland