DPC Policy Discussion Paper: Evaluating Influencing Strategies and Interventions

A paper to the DFID Development Policy Committee. Available as pdf  June 2011

Introduction
“1 The Strategy Unit brief of April 2008 envisaged that DFID should become more systematic in planning and implementing influencing efforts. Since then, procedures and guidance have been developed and there is an increasingly explicit use of influencing objectives in project log frames and more projectisation of influencing efforts. Evaluation studies and reports have illustrated the wide variety of DFID influencing efforts and the range of ambition and resources involved in trying to generate positive changes in the aid system or in partner countries. These suggest that being clear and realistic about DFID’s influencing objectives, the stakeholders involved and the specific changes being sought, is the fundamental requirement for an effective intervention. It is also the basis for sound monitoring and evaluation.
2 To support this initiative, the Evaluation Department organised a series of workshops in 2009 and 2010 to further develop the measurement and evaluation of influencing interventions producing a draft How to Note with reference to multilateral organisations in September 2010. However, with the changes to DFID’s corporate landscape in 2010 and early 2011 this work was put on hold pending the conclusion of some key corporate pieces of work .
3. An increase in demand for guidance is also noted given the changing external environment. DFID is now positioning itself to address the demands of the changing global aid landscape with new initiatives, such as the Global Development Partnerships programme. This has a relatively small spend, however its success will be measured largely by the depth and reach of its influence.
4. The Evaluation Department is now seeking guidance on how important the Development Policy Committee considers the evaluation of influencing interventions, and the direction in which it would like this developed.
5. This Paper sets out why evaluation of influencing interventions is important, why now, key theories of change and an influencing typology, value for money of an influencing intervention and metrics, and finally , the challenges of measuring influence.”

See also the associated “Proposed Influencing Typology”

The paper also refers to “Appraising, Measuring and Monitoring Influencing: How Can DFID Improve?” by the DFID Strategy Unit April 2008, which does not seem to be available on the web.

RD Comment: I understand that this is considered as a draft document and that comments on it would be welcomed. Please feel free to make your comments below

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