Where outcomes theory is being used

Introduction to outcomes theory

List of outcomes theory articles

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Introduction

Outcomes theory provides a general framework for thinking about specifying, measuring, prioritizing, attributing, reporting, contracting and holding parties to account for their results or outcomes and the steps and activities they undertake to achieve their results or outcomes (in outcomes theory, systems set up to do any of this are known by the general name outcomes systems). Outcomes theory can help us work better in a range of different areas such as: strategic planning, evaluation, monitoring, evidence-based practice and contracting. Traditionally, these areas have been seen as somewhat separate and they have drawn on concepts and theories from a diverse range of disciplines. The purpose of outcomes theory is to make work in these areas easier and more efficient in two ways. Firstly, by making clear several conceptual principles which underly all of these types of outcomes systems; in particular principles around measurement, attribution (what can be proved about what has caused results/outcomes) and accountability. A lack of clarity around these principles often leads to internal contradictions in current approaches and to frustration and wasted of effort on the part of those using them. Secondly, to point to ways of working (particularly the use of visual results/outcomes models) which if done rigorously at the start of any program or project (e.g. by building outcomes models according to the outcomes theory standards) can then be used as the basis for much of the other work which has to be done in prioritization, monitoring, evaluating, reporting and contracting.

Sectors where outcomes theory has been used

Some examples of where aspects of outcomes theory and its applied version Easy Outcomes (earlier applied versions were know under various names such as Systematic Outcomes Analysis and the REMLogic approach) has been used are:

Welfare - design and evaluation of community programs.
Defense - development of a set of national outcomes and mapping current activity onto them.
Housing - development of a cross-sector approach to collaboration between public housing and public health.
Culture and heritage - development of an evaluation plan for a national system for promoting broadcasting in the public interest (a National Broadcasting Charter system).
Environment - developing common outcome sets (outcomes models) for all activity in a country undertaken in regard to clean air, water use and appropriate land use.
Sustainability - an outcomes model and visual monitoring and evaluation plan for a national product stewardship program for reducing waste; development of a national outcomes model for waste stream reduction; development of an outcomes model for a cross-government agency conservation program.
Conservation - development of outcomes models relating to conservation and natural resource management.
Building regulation - development of a common set of outcomes (outcomes model) for a new national system of building regulation, identification of indicators and priority evaluation questions.
Indigenous development - development of a common set of outcomes (outcomes model) at the national level for indigenous development and use in evaluations of particular indigenous development programs.
Public health - development of a common outcomes model and mapping funder requirements onto it for the purpose of contracting discussions.
Heart health promotion - development of a common set of outcomes (outcomes model) for reducing inequality related to heart health.
Cancer prevention - development of a monitoring and evaluation plan in regard to skin-cancer related to sun exposure; development of an overall outcomes model for a regional cancer health promotion organization.
National archives - development of an outcomes model for a national archives agency and its use for evaluation planning, strategic planning and project prioritization. 
Community development - development of outcomes model and evaluation plan for a community sector electronic networking platform; development of outcomes models for community alcohol and drug harm-prevention programs.
Mental health - development of a common set of outcomes (outcomes model) for mental health at a national level to be used in monitoring and evaluation of the achievement of mental health outcomes for a country.
Youth offending - development of a common set of outcomes by a cross-government department committee in the area of youth justice.
Local government reform - development of a common set of outcomes for the implementation of a national program of local government reform.
International development - development of outcomes models, monitoring and evaluation plan for development projects.
International organizations - development of a framework for outcomes specification, monitoring and evaluation by the International Monetary Fund.

Duignan, P. & Bjorksten, N. (2005). Strategy Design in Evaluating IMF Surveillance Activity. Independent Evaluation Office International Monetary Fund. Washington, D.C. http://www.imf.org/External/NP/ieo/2005/bckgn/BP051.pdf

Duignan, P. (2005). Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF) Intervention Logic, Evaluation and Monitoring Framework Discussion Paper. For Tertiary Education Commission, Wellington. 
http://www.tec.govt.nz/upload/downloads/PBRF-intervention-logic-document.pdf

Duignan, P. (2005). An Evaluation Strategy for the New Building Regulatory Regime. For Department of Building and Housing, Wellington. http://parkerduignan.com/documents/130pdf.PDF