Identify potential unintended results
Many evaluations and logic models only focus on intended outcomes and impacts - but positive or negative unintended results can be important too.
Use these methods before a program is implemented to identify possible unintended outcomes and impacts, especially negative impacts (that make things worse not better) that should also be investigated and tracked.
Make sure your data collection remains open to unintended results that you have not anticipated by including some open-ended questions in interviews and questionnaires, and by encouraging reporting of unexpected results.
Once you have identified possible unintended consequences use options from the 'DESCRIBE' component to gather information about them if and when they occur. Make sure your data collection remains open to the unintended and unanticipated by including some open-ended questions in interviews and questionnaires, and by encouraging reporting of unexpected results.
Methods
Expand to view all resources related to 'Identify potential unintended results'
Ressource
- Best practices compendium on outcome budgeting
- Conflict sensitivity: Topic guide
- Good practice note: Conflict sensitivity, peacebuilding and sustaining peace
- Guidance for designing, monitoring and evaluating peacebuilding projects: Using theories of change
- Measuring unintended effects in peacebuilding: What the field of international cooperation can learn from innovative approaches shaped by complex contexts
'Identify potential unintended results' is referenced in:
Approach
Blog
Cadre/Guide
- Communication for Development (C4D) :
Method
Theme