Typically, organizations begin building a Theory of Change by looking at the overall impact they would like to help create. For example, perhaps your initiative is looking to increase affordable housing options for single parents, create a safer street in a particular neighbourhood for children, or have better access to healthier foods.
To develop your own Theory of Change, the first step is to analyze the current context:
- What is the problem that needs to be solved?
- What is the nature of the problem?
- What would be the ideal solution(s) to this problem? Who will benefit from this solution?
- What are the barriers and who can overcome each barrier?
- What resources are currently available?
You can also assess the viability of your predetermined potential actions by examining the following:
- Will this action benefit the target group(s)?
- Is it specific and measurable?
- What is the timeline for this action? Is it achievable?
- What are the other parties to consider? Who can you work with/against?
- Is it in line with your organization's value proposition?
To further develop your own Theory of Change, most of the methods involve providing inputs (resources and other inputs needed to achieve your intended impact), activities (actions that need to be taken), outputs (the measurable effects of your activities), outcomes (the long term and broader impacts that your actions will have), and assumptions (conditions that you require to be true to achieve your outputs and outcomes.
All the relevant elements build upon and lead to one another, which means the output of one activity can be the input of the next. In the rooftop gardening example, the opportunity to socialize could be an outcome for the group gardening activity. This opportunity is also the input because it will allow social interactions, and will achieve the goal of improved social skills, which contributes to the mission statement of living a fuller life for participants.