Outcome harvesting

The template helps reflecting on experimentation for analytically identifying issues that should be addressed and strengths of the project

This method has the purpose of providing a structure to identify, monitor and learn from outcomes of a project. It can be used for real-time monitoring and evidence gathering from complex development processes that involve multiple stakeholders.

One case study conducted by the World Bank discusses a city of Bosnia and Herzegovina that used Outcome harvesting to evaluate and improve their solid waste management reforms. The method helped local teams identify how to advance in their own reforms, uniquely adapting solutions to address institutional changes that were blocking improvements, and improving communication and relations among stakeholders along the way.

Establishing this process requires some time, it is thus important to chose a data collection and analysis frequency that is compatible with participants’ workload. The person in charge (harvester) must ensure the rigor of the data collection/analysis methods used. A highly participatory process is a necessity for a successful Outcome Harvesting process and result.

Outcome harvesting is a participatory tool that encourages dialogue among multiple stakeholders: the harvester (external or internal person designated to lead the process), the users (dependent on the findings to make decisions or take actions, engaged throughout the process) and informants (knowledgeable about the project outcomes and willing to share what they know). The harvester needs to engage change agents who are knowledgeable about what the intervention has achieved and how; ideally they should be stakeholders closest to the action.

There are 6 key steps in the outcome harvesting process

Step 1: design the outcome harvest - first identify who are the intended users of the harvest, what are their intended uses for the findings, then the harvester and users determine what needs to be known, what useful questions are to be answered, what information is to be collected and from whom.

Step 2: gather data and draft outcome descriptions – identify changes* from existing documents or collect data through interviews, surveys and other sources**; then write preliminary outcome descriptions (with questions for review and clarification)

*the informant describes what changed, for whom, when and where, why the change is significant, and how the project contributed to it.

**potential outcomes can be changes in behaviors, relationships, actions, policies, practices

Step 3: engage with informants in formulating outcome descriptions - collect information*, directly engage with change agents to review outcome descriptions, and identify and formulate additional ones.

Step 4: substantiate – review of the outcomes, selection of those to be verified by knowledgeable independent third-parties to increase accuracy and credibility of findings.

Step 5: analysis and interpretation of validated outcomes – harvesters classify outcomes (might require a database), analyse and interpret the information, and provide evidence-based answers to the harvesting questions (defined in step 1).

Note - CIVICUS proposes a template for the process to guide outcome reporting (including outcome statement, significance, contribution and source): https://www.civicus.org/monitoring-toolkits/toolkit/outcome-harvesting/

Step 6: support use of findings – harvesters proposes issues for discussion to users and facilitate dialogue.

These steps may overlap and can be iterative; feedback can spark decisions to redesign a next step or return to/modify an earlier one.

More concretely, referring to the above-mentioned waste management case in a city of Bosnia and Herzegovina; a customized use of the tools allowed local teams to map the outcomes: identify and formulate them, then explaining their significance and how the project contributed to these changes (small or big, directly or indirectly, intentionally or not) which allowed them to develop solutions and advance the reform. The detailed map of outcome and the process of change they pursued can be found respectively p.24 and p.26 of this report: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/20015/901720WP0Box380n0Outcome0Harvesting.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

The method is an evaluation. It actually was selected by the UNDP as a promising innovation in monitoring and evaluation practice among 10 others. Outcome Harvesting has been used by NGOs, community-based organisations, government agencies, etc. in 143 countries, in majority for systemic change, and evaluated by several large organizations. In particular, the World Bank Institute undertook formative pilot evaluations to explore how this method could help teams to manage knowledge and learn from complex and difficult to monitor project implementations.

This tool is flexible and can be adapted to different projects and interventions. The 6-steps are more guiding principles than a fixed structure to follow - although rigorous application of each principle is necessary for a successful outcome harvest. The approach should be customized to specific needs and primary intended users/uses.