Overview
Click on the title of the publication in the overview or browse through the summaries below
System change
A pragmatic approach to assessing system change - Highlights and tips from practice [2022]
A pragmatic approach to assessing system change – How to put it into practice paper [2020]
A pragmatic approach to assessing system change – Overview paper [2020]
Market Systems Development
Guidance Notes VCD projects [Nov 2009]
Can value chain development create rural employment and alleviate poverty? [Sept 2007]
Vocational Skills Development
Results Measurement
Good practices for SDC Program Managers: what donor agency staff need to know, in order to take full advantage of the DCED Standard for Results Measurement in the programmes they supervise. [2016, revised 2019]
Practitioners’ Notes [2018]
The authors, Aly Miehlbradt and Hans Posthumus, conducted a training workshop with advanced practitioners in November 2017. The content for the 5 Practitioners’ Notes emerged from the presentations and discussions during the workshop.
1 Gathering Information from Businesses; tips and challenges [2018]
2 Technology in results measurement; pros and cons [2018]
3 Monitoring: tips to ensure an effective integrated monitoring function [2018]
4 Using multipliers to estimate impact; tips when and how to develop and use [2018]
5 Assessing systemic change; tips to outline and assess system change [2018]
Ten typical challenges in results measurement [2015]
These publications have been developed by the HPC consortium in collaboration with programs around the world. The consortium was led by Hans Posthumus and consisted of Aly Miehlbradt (MCL), Ben Fowler (MSA), Mihaela Balan, Nabanita Sen (OU), Phitcha Wanitphon and Wafa Hafiz (H&S).
1 Measuring Attribution: a practical framework to select appropriate attribution methods [2015]
1.4 Measuring Attribution: ALCP in Georgia undertaking a sector impact assessment [2015]
2 Measuring Systemic Change – The case of GEMS1 in Nigeria [2015]
3 Building a Learning Culture – The case of the Market Development Facility in Fiji [2015]
5 Measuring Sustainability: the case of Kenya Markets Trust in Kenya [2015]
6 Developing a Program Specific Monitoring and Results Measurement Manual [2015]
8 Using Information on Results in Program Management: the case of Samarth-NMDP in Nepal [2015]
9 Applying the DCED Standard to an Environmental Project: the case of EcoVecindarios in Bolivia [2015]
January 2022
Highlights and Tips from Practice
For a pragmatic approach to system change
This slide deck complements the A pragmatic approach to assessing system change papers, outlining a process that programmes can apply to regularly and practically assess system change.
The slides highlight the most critical elements of assessing system change and provide practical tips on how to start applying the pragmatic approach to:
develop system strategies
apply the helicopter lens to assess changes
review changes and revise system strategies
June 2021
VSD and PSE: forming partnerships with the private sector
First, a few conceptual frameworks are introduced to clarify some concepts such as Vocational Skills Development and Private Sector Engagement.
Secondly, tips are provided on how to form partnerships in light of Private Sector Engagement followed with a few examples to inspire creativity.
Thirdly, tips are provided on how to form partnerships in light of VET institutions and VSD programs, followed with tips for partnerships to assess Labour Needs, Developing Training Content and Work Based Learning.
Last not least, references to programs and other publications are provided
2020
A Pragmatic Approach to Assessing System Change
The approach described in these papers helps programs to structure strategies and intervention plans so that they better guide program management and assessment of system change. The approach also introduces the intervention lens and the helicopter lens for assessing system changes. By enabling programs to pragmatically identify and assess system changes regularly, the approach equips programs to improve their strategies and interventions more effectively and quickly. There is one short overview-paper and one detailed How- to-put-it--into practice - paper.
Hans Posthumus, Rachel Shah ( Springfield Centre), Alexandra Miehlbradt (MCL) , Adam Kessler (DCED)
March 2020
Skills for Jobs: Developing an apprenticeship system
This case study describes how S4J launched and developed an apprenticeship system that meets the requirements of the private sector and describes the results in terms of graduates being more employable. This case also highlights how the program developed an appropriate monitoring system and how the program assesses the impact of this intervention, while dealing with attribution in this challenging context
May 2019
Forming partnerships with private sector actors
A summary of lessons learned by Market Systems Development Practitioners on forming and managing such partnerships.
This document provides practical tips on how to find and contact partners, how to make deals, what to finance and how, what to consider when making contractual arrangements and how to manage partnerships.
Sept 2007
Can value chain development
create rural employment and alleviate poverty?
A first draft of this paper served as a background paper for a round table discussion held at the 11th Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), while this article is a shortened version of the article as it appeared in the ”Enterprise Development and Microfinance Journal, previously SEDJ, Volume 18 Number 2/3 June/September 2007
Sept 2009
Guidance notes
for Value Chain Development programs
The guidelines were derived from a writers workshop held in China in November 2009, where some 20 staff of IFAD projects in the Asia and the Pacific region analysed nine cases.
The case specific findings are translated into (30) generic recommendations to assist IFAD in designing and managing interventions.
Originally drafted for IFAD Asia, 2009
April 2019
Building and managing an appropriate results measurement system
Lessons learned by a smaller Market Systems Development Program applying the DCED Standard.
The case study shares the learnings from the Increasing Market Employability
program (IME) to develop and manage a results measurement system:
What needs to be done and why it is important for each phase of the Program Management Cycle.
2019
Monitoring and Measuring Results
Good practices for SDC program managers
This paper provides guidance on good practice with respect to the process, and with respect to the roles and responsibilities of SDC program managers during program design and implementation. This is in order to ensure that projects can, and will effectively use, a monitoring and results measurement system that complies with the DCED Standard.
The paper focuses on the roles and responsibilities of SDC program managers in steering the implementation partners to develop and use an appropriate monitoring and results measurement system. The paper follows the SDC project management cycle and specifies the challenges and tasks for each of the stages of the cycle.
Applying multipliers in tourism: How the PPSE project in Kosovo developed multipliers to report the wider impacts of interventions accessed.
2016
Projects active in the tourism sector often aim to increase the number of tourists and to prolong their stay, thus resulting in “more dollars spent” in the country. The effect of interventions in the tourism sector on other sectors is often not reported, implying that projects under-report their impact. Their project cost-benefit-analysis is thus not correct, as wider benefits are not captured in the equation. Reporting the wider impact can highlight the importance of tourism for the economy, and lead governments to develop more supportive policies.
Multipliers may help to report wider impacts.
The Promoting Private Sector Employment (PPSE) project has developed multipliers for the tourism sector in Kosovo. Although the methodology is still in an experimental phase, it appears to be feasible. Other rojects could adapt the source and methodology to report on the wider impacts of their interventions in the
tourism sector.
Improving national statistics in Kosovo.
How the PPSE project helped the government improve data collection for the tourism sector
2016
Statistical data is important because it provides information to stakeholders, enabling national and regional governments to develop policies. Comparable, reliable and accurate data enables evidence-based decision-making.
Kosovo, being a relatively new country, was not yet able to collect reliable statistical data. The PPSE project assisted the Kosovo Agency of Statistics to develop a system to collect information for the tourism sector.
Gathering Information from Businesses, 2018
Tips on how to start off on the right foot with businesses and how to address challenges in information gathering that arise during implementation.
The authors, Aly Miehlbradt and Hans Posthumus, conducted a training workshop with advanced practitioners in results measurement for private sector development in November 2017. The content for the 5 Practitioners’ Notes emerged from the presentations and discussions during the workshop.
Technology in results measurement, 2018
Pros and cons on device-based data-collection, on-line questionnaires and analyses software to save time and money, improve accuracy and present information more effectively.
The authors, Aly Miehlbradt and Hans Posthumus, conducted a training workshop with advanced practitioners in results measurement for private sector development in November 2017. The content for the 5 Practitioners’ Notes emerged from the presentations and discussions during the workshop.
Monitoring, 2018
Monitoring is a critical function to inform program improvements in interventions and strategies. However, programs often do not pay enough attention to ensure that staff are monitoring effectively and efficiently. This Practitioners’ Note outlines tips to help programs implement good monitoring practices, ensuring it adds value for managers and helps to avoid common pitfalls. It also addresses issues in outsourcing monitoring and co-facilitators’ monitoring.
The authors, Aly Miehlbradt and Hans Posthumus, conducted a training workshop with advanced practitioners in results measurement for private sector development in November 2017. The content for the 5 Practitioners’ Notes emerged from the presentations and discussions during the workshop.
Assessing systemic change, 2018
Assessing systemic change is challenging. The state of the practice around assessment of systemic change is
evolving. This Practitioners’ Note describes how practitioners are outlining systemic change pathways,
identifying and assessing systemic changes, analysing the causes of changes and using information on systemic
changes in program management. It highlights new developments and where more experimentation is
needed.
The authors, Aly Miehlbradt and Hans Posthumus, conducted a training workshop with advanced practitioners in results measurement for private sector development in November 2017. The content for the 5 Practitioners’ Notes emerged from the presentations and discussions during the workshop.
Using multipliers, 2018
Multipliers can be a cost-effective tool to estimate broader impacts such as employment creation. Programs need to validate existing multipliers or need to develop their own sector and context specific multipliers. This Practitioners’ Note aims to assist programs to assess when multipliers may be appropriate to use, how to use existing multipliers and how to develop multipliers. This Practitioners’ Note focuses on the decision-making process; for the more technical aspects, reference is made to other publications and case studies.
The authors, Aly Miehlbradt and Hans Posthumus, conducted a training workshop with advanced practitioners in results measurement for private sector development in November 2017. The content for the 5 Practitioners’ Notes emerged from the presentations and discussions during the workshop.
Measuring attribution: a practical framework to select appropriate attribution methods, 2015
Measuring impact in private sector development programmes is important but also challenging. This paper provides an overview of the most common attribution methods, and offers guidance on how to select the most appropriate attribution method for the diversity of interventions and their context. The paper also documents how four programmes - ALCP in Georgia, MDF in East Timor, Propcom Mai-Karfi in Nigeria and Samarth-NMDP in Nepal - have selected and implemented four different attribution methods.
Hans Posthumus and Phitcha Wanitphon. This is one of ten cases that have been developed by Hans Posthumus Consultancy. The preparation of these cases was supported by funds from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), provided through the DCED Trust Fund.
Measuring Attribution: ALCP in Georgia undertaking a sector impact assessment, 2015
This case is part of a guidance paper that provides an overview of the most common attribution methods and offers guidance on how to select the most appropriate attribution method for the diversity of interventions within their given context. It explains how ALCP assessed their impact in the livestock sector and why ALCP considers this particular attribution method the most appropriate way to assess the impact of their interventions. It also explains how they carried out the measurements.
Hans Posthumus and Phitcha Wanitphon. This is one of ten cases that have been developed by Hans Posthumus Consultancy. The preparation of these cases was supported by funds from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), provided through the DCED Trust Fund.
CAPSA
Building capacities to analyse sectors, 2004
CAPSA combines Capacitating (CAP) and Sub sector Analyses (SA).
On the one hand CAPSA provides a methodology and instruments for participants to undertake a sub sector analysis, on the other hand, participants are being trained in general aspects of small enterprise development: two different yet complementary objectives.
A thorough Sub Sector Analyses results in a complete picture of the sub sector; how it functions, what the bottlenecks are and what opportunities the sub sector holds. Thereafter, CAPSA assists in designing appropriate interventions that improve the functioning of the actors within that sub sector.
Sub sector analyses are complicated and thus often undertaken by (international) experts. CAPSA however trains and guides people with limited experience to undertake such an exercise. This greatly improves their ownership of the analysis and the implementation of the resulting intervention. It avoids possible loss of information and continuity that might occur when outside experts analyse a sub sector whereafter local actors implement the resulting intervention.
The overview paper (9 pages) sketches
what to find in - and how to use - the (175 pages) manual.