Step 1 – Articulate what will change, how and why
Watch our animation Impact Framework Step 1: articulating what will change how and why.
You should articulate what you expect to change, how and why, into a single document or diagram (referred to in this guide as ‘articulation of change’).
You can capture and present this in any way that works for your programme or project. Suggested examples are ‘30, 60, 90 day plan’, a driver diagram, a logic model or a narrative. We have a working example for Frail Elderly services, showing how these formats can be used, with blank templates for your own use.
This should involve key stakeholders as well as your team. This builds consensus and ensures everyone understands the purpose and activities for the work and is critical for the later steps in the process.
The ‘articulation of change’ is an organic document that will evolve over time, it should describe what you expect to change, how and why you are doing what you are doing at a point in time, but should not prescribe it. Your original goal and outcomes can be refined and redrawn as you gather evidence which strengthens or challenges your original theory; this will conclusively demonstrate what the project has achieved.
When setting your objectives and defining the long term impact of the project, you need to show there is evidence to back these up and that the resources are available to carry out the planned activities.
Templates available within the framework guide
- Articulate your change: Narrative – blank template
- Articulate your change: Narrative – completed example
- Articulate your change: Logic Model – blank template
- Articulate your change: Logic Model – completed example
- Articulate your change: Driver diagram – blank template
- Articulate your change: Driver diagram – completed example
- Articulate your change: 30, 60, 90 day plan – blank template
- Articulate your change: 30, 60, 90 day plan – completed example
- Choose measures – blank template
- Choose measures – completed example