DESIGNING PROJECTS IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD

3.3 THEORY OF CHANGE
RAPTA PROCESS
1. Scoping
2. Engagement &
Governance
4. System
Description
3. Theory of
Change
6. Options &
Pathways
5. System
Assessment
THEORY OF CHANGE
Step 1 Assemble key stakeholders
for constructing the Theory of
Change
Step 2 Explore the magnitude of
change needed to reach the
project goal
Step 3 Develop impact pathways to
reach the project goal
Step 4 Describe how Theory of Change
interacts with other components
of RAPTA
Step 5 Adjust Theory of Change to
capture learning from other
RAPTA components
7. Learning
Figure 8 Steps of the Theory of Change component
3.3.1 Purpose of Theory of Change
Developing a theory of change (also known as a
results chain or impact pathway) is increasingly
required by GEF and other development funders. It
can be used to:
• capture the rationale for the design and implementation
of interventions
• frame the linked activities, outputs, outcomes and
impacts within a logical framework (if required and/
or relevant)
• (at the end of the project) evaluate the impacts,
costs and benefits of projects (See Box H).
Although Theory of Change is standard practice,
there are some considerations specific to its use in
RAPTA. Existing methods (see Resource links at end
of this section) are complemented and enhanced
by RAPTA through systematic consideration of resilience,
adaptation, and transformation. For example,
there is more deliberate consideration of options
for transformational versus incremental change. In
RAPTA, Theory of Change is closely linked to adaptive
implementation pathways (Options and Pathways),
and both processes inform each other during the
project’s design and implementation. The multi-scale
perspective inherent in RAPTA encourages explicit
linking of goals, activities, outputs and outcomes
from individual projects through to program level
(e.g. Food Security IAP), organisational level (e.g.
GEF) and country level. Furthermore, the Theory of
Change matures through iterations of RAPTA in each
phase of the project cycle, emphasizing testing of
initial hypotheses, improvement through learning,
and responsive management.
Use in phases of the project cycle
The Theory of Change component is usually undertaken
by the initiators of the project and a few other
stakeholders. It is a discrete process and yields a
product which is developed, used and improved at
each phase of the project cycle. It articulates the
initial hypotheses about the interventions and impact
52 RAPTA guidelines for project design