Rigging for impact

Purpose

Good intentions and commitment are often not lacking in social work. However, much of the work is carried out in a system characterized by short-termism and silos, where specific tasks for various actors entail a risk that root causes and needs disappear among goal formulations and control models. We risk doing what we've always done, or doing new things just for the sake of doing new things. We are used to formulating goals and slogans, but less used to justifying why we are going there, how and knowing if we are moving in the right direction. With Rigging for Impact, RISE aims to help adress these challenges.

Solution

Social and Health Impact Center (SHIC) supports public sector and third sector actors in using Theory of Change framework to work needs- and outcome-focused and create manageable systems for evaluation and learning. The organization's capacity to prioritize interventions based on needs and own abilities is strengthened by training in the different aspects of Theory of Change.

Rigging for Impact is primarily a method support organized around different modules that introduce each part with film clips, presentation material and exercises and are freely available to use. The structure is also used as a starting point for designing more in-depth development collaborations where SHIC supports organizations based on specific needs and conditions, and facilitates learning.

Method

Rigging for Impact consists of four modules:

1. Theory of Change. SHIC supports organizations to establish Theory of Change frameworks through various workshops adapted to the specific organization. The workshops increase the understanding of the different ways of using the framework, and has a starting point in the organizations specific needs.
2. Needs analysis. Needs analysis can, and should, take place at different levels – individual, organizational and societal level – regardless of the area one's ambition is to map. The levels interact to varying degrees with each other. SHIC uses various quantitative and qualitative methods to map and analyze needs, such as in-depth interviews, focus groups, surveys and Rasch analyses. We investigate and support organizations in mapping their organizational capacity for change.
3. Cooperation and group development. SHIC working methods are based on research in behavioral science, change management and principles for well-functioning groups in order to develop work routines that promote outcome-focused working methods together with operational groups and collaborative constellations.
4. Measurements and evaluation. Social and Health Impact Center (SHIC) specializes, as the name suggests, in measuring social and health impacts. This means that with the help of Theory of Change framework and measurement technical expertise, we can partly be a support in designing indicators and evaluation systems that are relevant and create maximum learning, partly we can create and quality-assure both quantitative and qualitative measures.

Deliveries

The organization develops its ability to work with needs analysis, group development, Theory of Change, evaluation and continuous learning, creating better conditions for a learning organization.