How We Model Matters—Visualizing Program Theories
About
Widely used in monitoring and evaluation, program theories are visuals that illustrate how a program intends to affect a desired outcome. This guide describes 10 different types of program theories, including common logic models and theories of change, as well as complex causal loop diagrams and hybrid models. It may benefit program funders, designers, managers, evaluators, practitioners, and other professionals who use program theories as part of their work.
This guide, published in 2023, presents visual strategies and real-world examples for creating and using program theories to articulate a program’s components and outcomes.
Throughout the guide, the authors generically use program “to describe any type of program, policy, project, practice, product, or process that is a target of evaluative inquiry.” They also use program theory as a broad term “for any type of visual model of the underlying logic of a program” (p.1).
In the introduction, the authors discuss the purpose, audience, and structure of the guide, which includes descriptions and illustrations of the following 10 program theories:
- Logic Model
- Logical Framework
- Theory of Change
- Context-Mechanism-Outcome Configuration
- Causal Loop Diagram
- Stock and Flow Diagram
- Concept Map
- Network Map
- Path Model
- Nested and Hybrid Models
The authors emphasize that program theories can be useful in promoting equity and transformative change in an evaluation. Therefore, they provide suggestions for promoting an equity perspective within the discussion of each of the 10 program theories.
In addition, the authors acknowledge that there is no single right way to design program theories. They also stress that the benefits and limitations of different modeling techniques presented in the guide depend on the program theory's purpose and intended use.
To close out the guide, the authors offer a set of principles for developing program theories:
- Be clear on purpose and use
- Focus on the program theory
- Distinguish between complicated and complex programs
- Consider the type of complexity to include in your program theory
- Capture context
- Consider outcome trajectories
- Unpack assumptions
- Center equity and transformative change in the program
- Do no harm—consider unintended and adverse outcomes
- Mix and match visual techniques
Materials
Comments
-
Bryant JohnsonAn insightful and motivating guide, indeed. Thank you.
Content Details
Topics:
Target Populations:
Programs:
Geographic Locations:
Industry Sectors:
- Last Updated:
- Created:
- Resource Publication Date: 2024
- Posted by: Katie Mehle
- Posted in: Evaluation and Research Hub