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Outcome mapping is an approach to planning, implementing and evaluating development projects. The focus is on the overall effect of the project on a community over time. This contrasts with traditional methods that normally examine the impact of the main objective only during the project. Outcome mapping attempts to document changes in community behavior in an attempt to promote those that support the long-term intent of the program. This methodology was developed by the International Development Research Center (IDRC), a Canadian economic and social development organization.
Behavior changes of close partners, individuals and groups who are directly involved in a project are called results. Examination of the results allows training and allocation of resources adapted to the context of the community. The behavior of people directly involved in a project can change the behavior of people less directly involved, and so on throughout the social matrix. Outcome mapping provides the tools to assess and respond to these changes. It recognizes that sustainable change involves the interaction of outcomes unique to the project and the community in question.
Intentional design is the first stage in outcome mapping. Border partners are identified and generally included in the process at this point. The general description of the project is defined and the results necessary to fulfill that vision are identified. Consider how the project will be implemented to facilitate these outcomes.
In the second stage, Results and Performance Monitoring, the actions of a project are documented in relation to the progress of its close partners against the established goals. These are behavioral changes that can be linked to the project, though not necessarily directly caused by your actions. Comparison with a set of progress markers, which were defined in the previous design stage, allows for feedback and adjustment of the ongoing project management process.
Evaluation planning is the third stage of results mapping, where the criteria for evaluating the achievement of project objectives are considered. Typically, this involves formulating an ideal, best case, and likely set of possible outcomes. Since the actions of the program may not be the immediate cause of positive change, the methodology used may evolve throughout the project.
In outcome mapping, success is sustainable progress generated by behavioral changes by close partners. The changes may not be directly linked to the actions of the project, but the project will always be a catalyst for that change. This approach is often used in conjunction with traditional evaluation methodology such as project cycle management (PCM) or the logical framework approach (LFA). These methods emphasize scrutiny of the design itself, in terms of quality control and implementation efficiency.