Outcome Mapping in Research Excellence

A practical application of OM principles to the evaluation of

research for development

Spheres in Zesearch Excellence ǀĂůƵĂƟǀĞZƵďƌŝĐƐ

SUBDIMENSION 3.1: OZIGINALITY

Not Applicable Level 2 – Less than
Level 1- Unacceptable Level 3 – Acceptable/Good Level 4 – Very Good
acceptable
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
As a research funder, technical quality is within our sphere The nature of the
research is such that it
There is liƩle or no
evidence that the
The project is perƟnent and
signiĮcant but not
The enƟre project is reasonably
ambiƟous. It presents a fresh,
There is strong evidence of (a)
novelty of substanƟve ideas,

of control. is not intended to

advance exisƟng
knowledge or
research reŇects
originality in terms of
building on and
parƟcularly novel, original or
ambiƟous. It is primarily
concerned with adding to
groundbreaking idea, brings an
innovaƟve approach to solving
exisƟng challenges, and/or deals
informaƟon, problems, and
interpretaƟon; (b) originality in
relaƟon to exisƟng related research
generate new insights extending exisƟng what is already known in the with a new, emerging issue worth (approach/paradigm, techniques,

hƉƚĂŬĞ͕ƵƐĞ͕ŝŶŇƵĞŶĐĞĂŶĚŝŵƉĂĐƚŽĨ (e.g. systemaƟc knowledge, breaking Įeld (via extension, new pursuing. It challenges taken-for- theoreƟcal or conceptual framework,

Gradu reviews) new ground, or making

improvements in
applicaƟons, criƟque, etc.).
While the research is not
granted assumpƟons. There has
been no previous funding for the
use of evidence); (c) promise (ideas
that are likely to sƟmulate further

e
exisƟng technologies innovaƟve, it is useful same focus (unless follow-up research and development); as well
research are not within our sphere of ate
nc
and/or methods because it adds to what is funding explicitly sought from as (d) potenƟal for a substanƟal
already known. appropriate schemes). contribuƟon to theory and/or

control. e dP pracƟce.

flu ZƵďƌŝĐƐ͗ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞ͚ĞǀŝĚĞŶĐĞŐƵŝĚĞƐ͛
This instrument helps assess the
technical quality of research in
I hƐĞͲŝŶƐƉŝƌĞĚZĞƐĞĂƌĐŚĂƚ/Z ro
n to illustrate the trajectory and
f

gr
so

logic of the change process;

light of the way it is WƌŽďůĞŵͲĨŽĐƵƐĞĚ͕ƐŽůƵƟŽŶͲŽƌŝĞŶƚĞĚ͕

es
ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞŶŽƌŵĂƟǀĞŝŶĚŝĐĂƚŽƌƐ
ere

ĚĞƐŝŐŶĞĚĂŶĚƉŽƐŝƟŽŶĞĚ ŝŶŶŽǀĂƟǀĞ͕ƉŽůŝĐLJͲƌĞůĞǀĂŶƚ͕ŵƵůƟͲĚŝƐĐŝƉůŝŶĂƌLJ

sM
that can be applied in the
for uptake and use.
Sph

planning

arke
Hence, the label, stages; demand systemic

ZQ+
“RQ+” ƵƐĞŽĨĞǀĂůƵĂƟǀĞ
Outc rs ŝŶĨĞƌĞŶĐĞƚŽŵĂŬĞƌĂƟŶŐƐ

To achieve excellence, the

research process must
be managed and research Add your
ZĞƐĞĂƌĐŚdžĐĞůůĞŶĐĞĂƚ/Z tool ideas
o

products prepared in such a

rs

/ŶĐůƵĚĞƐƚĞĐŚŶŝĐĂůŵĞƌŝƚĂŶĚĞīĞĐƟǀĞŶĞƐƐ͘
m

way that the probability of use

below!
e

ĂŶĚŝŶŇƵĞŶĐĞŝƐĞŶŚĂŶĐĞĚ͘ īĞĐƟǀĞŶĞƐƐŝŶĐůƵĚĞƐŝŶŇƵĞŶĐĞ͕ƉŽůŝĐLJ
es
n
art

relevance, “relevance for development”,

I

dŚŝƐƌĞƋƵŝƌĞƐĂƩĞŶƟŽŶƚŽ͗
m
P

ĂĐƟŽŶĂďůĞŬŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞ͕ŽƌŝŵƉĂĐƚ
p

- user contexts
y

ac
- accessibility of products
dar an t
Ͳ͚ĮƚĨŽƌƉƵƌƉŽƐĞ͛ĚŝƐƐĞŵŝŶĂƟŽŶƐƚƌĂƚĞŐŝĞƐ n d ch
ͲŝŶƚĞŐƌĂƟŽŶŽĨƵƐĞƌƐŝŶƚŽƚŚĞƌĞƐĞĂƌĐŚƉƌŽĐĞƐƐ Bou ange
itself

How will research be used?

Conceptual Use Instrumental Use
<ŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞŐĂƉͲĮůůŝŶŐ /ŶĨŽƌŵŝŶŐĚĞďĂƚĞ
DLJƚŚͲďƵƐƟŶŐ džƉĂŶĚŝŶŐƉŽůŝĐLJĐĂƉĂĐŝƟĞƐ
ŽŶĮƌŵŝŶŐͬǀĂůŝĚĂƟŶŐĮŶĚŝŶŐƐ ƌŽĂĚĞŶŝŶŐƉŽůŝĐLJŚŽƌŝnjŽŶƐ
ƉƉƌŽƉƌŝĂƟŶŐŬŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞŝŶƚŽ
ĚŝīĞƌĞŶƚĐŽŶƚĞdžƚƐ īĞĐƟŶŐƉŽůŝĐLJƌĞŐŝŵĞƐ

By whom?
^ĐŝĞŶƟĮĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ
<ŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞƌŽŬĞƌƐ
WŽůŝĐLJĐƚŽƌƐ
/ŶŶŽǀĂƚŽƌƐ

WŽƐŝƟŽŶŝŶŐZĞƐĞĂƌĐŚ&ŽƌhƐĞ Tools for Measuring Impact & Change

Poster by Joanna Kocsis

Outcome Mapping &ŽƌŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶĂďŽƵƚZYнĐŽŶƚĂĐƚ
LEARNING COMMUNITY Colleen Duggan at cduggan@idrc.ca
www.outcomemapping.ca