Situation -What problematic condition exists that demands a programmatic response?

Questions to ask:

  • What are the strengths and challenges in your current area of interest?
  •  Why does the situation exist?
  • For whom does it exist?
  • Who has a stake in the problem?
  • What can be changed?

Strategies to answer:

  • Background research
  • Needs assessment
  • Literature review – identifying gaps
  • Theory that needs to be tested
  • Differentiate symptoms from root causes

What outcomes (changes in the situation) are you aiming for?

  • Hint - jump to the end and work your way backward to arrive last at the needed inputs

Inputs - What resources are in place and are needed?

  • What goes into the program: resources and contributions that are invested.
  • Inputs include such elements as staff, money, time, equipment, partnerships, and the research base.
  • What staff should be employed?
  • What facilities or equipment will be needed?

Activities - What are you going to do?

What activities (and outputs) are best suited (to you, stakeholders and the situation) to get you to the desired outcomes?

What will best get you from the current situation to the desired outcomes?

  • Hint - beware of jumping to conclusions; rely on hypotheses and evidence.  Analyze: what makes you believe the proposed action will get you to the desired outcome? Test your beliefs and assumptions.
  • Conducting research?
  • Analyzing results?
  • Organizing and implementing?
  • Generating information?
  • Timeline?

Stakeholders - Who do you need to participate and in what ways?

  • Who needs to be involved for you to get from situation to outcome?
  • How many of different kinds of participants are needed?
  • Who are the actors or recipients?

Outputs - What "products" will you generate?

  • Papers that people read
  • Public events or Workshops that people attend
  • School curriculum that teachers use
  • Lobbying activities or materials intended to persuade
  • Deliver services
  • Deployment of volunteers

Outcomes - How would the world be different if you succeed?

Short-Term or Changes in Knowledge

  • Do stakeholders understand a situation differently?
  • Do workers demonstrate different training?
  • Do students' scores on exams change?

Mid-Term or Changes in Behavior

  • Do customers alter their food choices at the grocery?
  • Do farmers amend their soil differently?
  • Do students collaborate better in their teams?

Long-Term or Changes in Policies, Environments, Cultures, Structures & Systems

  • Do lawmakers change policy on your issue?
  • Is gay marriage accepted by a large majority of a country's population?
  • Are COVID-19 tests widely available?

 

Tool to help you distinguish the above elements: 
Logic Model Lingo Quiz and Answers