Collaboration
Explore Your Theory of Change
Creating a Theory of Change is an effective method for evaluating how all components of your solution collaborate to achieve the desired outcome. Although there are various approaches to developing and documenting a Theory of Change, the crucial aspect is to utilize the process to articulate and scrutinize your assumptions regarding the functionality and rationale of your solution. This approach serves as a valuable design tool, enabling you to make difficult decisions about which prototypes and concepts to incorporate into your final product or service offering. It is recommended to have your Impact Ladder worksheet and Ecosystem Mapping worksheet available for reference during this process.
Workshop steps
Begin by examining the primary goal you're striving to accomplish. This was established in your Impact Ladder at the beginning when you formulated your design challenge. Determine if it remains the correct objective or if it has transformed throughout the design process.
First, take the Theory of Change worksheet and list all the changes you aim to achieve. Then, write down the ideas you're eager to implement. If available, use Post-it notes to arrange them in a grid format on a wall or any suitable workspace.
It's time to critically examine your shifts and concepts. Start by identifying the priority shifts and evaluate how effectively your concepts address them. Use the Theory of Change worksheet to guide you through this process.
The procedure will encourage you to develop a hypothesis or reasoning for how your solution will generate change and accomplish your primary goal (from Step 1 above). Take a step back and examine this evolving theory of change. Is the logic for how one aspect will result in another sound? What assumptions or risks exist at each stage? Consider involving someone not on your design team in this conversation for a more unbiased perspective.
Numerous methods exist for recording a theory of change. We recommend initially utilizing the Impact Ladder from the activity guide to swiftly document the results of this activity. Following that, employ the Logic Model activity to achieve a more comprehensive and well-organized visualization of your solution model.
Need help with this workshop?
