ACDI/VOCA’s Systems Change Strategy and Assessment Guide is designed to help project teams define, manage, assess and report on their systems change work. The guide provides a framework and facilitation process to help teams take ownership of their systems change strategy as well as guidance and templates for assessing what is changing and why.
Start here by reading the Facilitator Guide Overview.
The guide supports four phases of ACDI/VOCA’s systems development approach:
- Analyze. Focusing our systems analysis on the context and conditions for systems change.
- Strategize. Developing a clear and realistic vision for systems change that guides our work and mobilizes others around the change initiative.
- Collaborate & Facilitate. Developing an intervention strategy that explains how the project will engage with others within the system to facilitate change.
- Learn & Adapt. Providing a responsive monitoring, evaluation and learning framework to monitor progress and inform learning and adaptation to steer us towards our vision for change.
What is it?
The Systems Change Strategy Design & Assessment Guide is comprised of a Guide Overview, 5 distinct components with facilitation instructions, a Systems Change Map, and a Systems Change Outcome Worksheet Template. The image below outlines the 5 components, and the order they are intended to be worked through. Note, however, each component guide can also be used on its own, without completing the other components. The purpose of each component is the following.
Component 1: Vision for Change
To develop a coherent vision for systems change that can clearly guide all project activities, and that all team members can articulate. Teams focus on the following questions: What do we believe, if changed, would have the greatest impact on the system? And how do we facilitate the change? View Component 1.
Component 2: Context for Change
To understand the broader system context to identify key drivers, barriers, and opportunities for the project to catalyze systems change. Teams focus on the following questions: What is happening in the system right now? What about the context tells you that this is a good idea? View Component 2.
Component 3: Intervention Strategy
To develop a strategic approach that outlines how project interventions and partnerships will drive and sustain the desired systems change. Teams focus on the following question: What partnerships or tactics can best leverage (or influence) the system’s potential for change? View Component 3.
Component 4: Evidence of Change
To track and assess changes in the system, evaluate what is our contribution and identify lessons learned to improve our impact. Teams focus on the following questions: How do we know we are on the right track? What do we expect to see? If we don’t see it, what do we need to learn? View Component 4.
Component 5: Assessment & Adaptation
To provide a snapshot and evaluate progress towards our vision for change and identify, as needed, how to adapt to maintain momentum. Teams focus on the following questions: How close are we to achieving our vision for change? What adaptations can we make to get us closer? View Component 5.
In addition to the facilitation guides, a Systems Change Map is meant to help in the facilitation of the different components in an in-person workshop. (See Introduction section of the Guide Overview.) It is recommended to use the Systems Change Map during a workshop with a project team, then transfer the key conclusions to the Systems Change Worksheet Template. The worksheet is a living document that is periodically revisited and updated.
Case Studies
The guide was informed by participation in co-design workshops from 11 ACDI/VOCA market systems development projects. (See Acknowledgements section in the Guide Overview.) Each project team used the systems change worksheet template to refine and improve on one systems change outcome area. The USAID/Serbia Big Small Business Project used the guide to develop a systems change success story (See Annex H in the Guide Overview.)
