Visualizing the theory of change
Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2024 10:55 am
Theories of change are very useful tools for professionals working in the social sector. They are intended to describe the social impact that organizations can have and explain why they make certain efforts to achieve the expected results.
At Venngage, we know that visuals are critical to helping people understand and remember important ideas, especially complex ideas. So, it can be challenging to visualize theories of change. Visuals can provide that coherent picture needed to engage stakeholders, thereby making change more actionable.
Would you like to visualize your organization's theory of change sale leads dominican republic email address but don't have any design experience? Don't worry. Anyone can create and edit visuals with Venngage's easy-to-use templates using the drag-and-drop editor.
START CREATING FOR FREE
Table of Contents:
What is a theory of change and what is it used for?
What does a good theory of change look like?
How to develop a theory of change
Why it is important to visualize your theory of change
Why it can be challenging to visualize a theory of change
How you can visualize your theory of change
What is a theory of change and what is it used for?
A theory of change is a dynamic tool used by social sector organizations (non-profits, foundations, social enterprises, etc.) to explain:
What people do they serve/empower?
What they do and how they do it
Why they do it: the impact they hope to have
Below is an example of what a theory of change process might look like, if you explore an organization's planned outcomes and impacts to improve a child's well-being:
theory of change
CREATE THIS TEMPLATE
Instead of describing organizational change (the change that happens within the organization, which is part of traditional change management ), it describes the change that happens in society.
As you can see from the example, a theory of change process is a comprehensive description of how an organization seeks to effect change, describing causal connections (early, intermediate, and long-term outcomes) and the overall desired impact of the identified changes.
Theories of change are essential to the success of organizations seeking to make a social impact.
These can help both staff and shareholders to:
Clarify what progress and success look like, and what it takes to get there
Identify the resources needed and/or other factors that could affect success
Define what the organization can and cannot influence
Knowing what data should be collected and how it can be used to make decisions that improve outcomes
Return to Table of Contents
What does a good theory of change look like?
A theory of change should be iterative—that is, changing over time based on what the organization learns.
It should not be:
A way to severely package what the organization is already doing
A “tick-the-box” task that is done simply to satisfy investors or funders
A document placed on a shelf (or buried in the shared files)
A static concept that limits innovation
A theory of change has to be meaningful . Does it describe how the organization meets an important need? Does it provide a complete perspective on how and why social change occurs? Is it comprehensive, persuasive, and compelling?
At Venngage, we know that visuals are critical to helping people understand and remember important ideas, especially complex ideas. So, it can be challenging to visualize theories of change. Visuals can provide that coherent picture needed to engage stakeholders, thereby making change more actionable.
Would you like to visualize your organization's theory of change sale leads dominican republic email address but don't have any design experience? Don't worry. Anyone can create and edit visuals with Venngage's easy-to-use templates using the drag-and-drop editor.
START CREATING FOR FREE
Table of Contents:
What is a theory of change and what is it used for?
What does a good theory of change look like?
How to develop a theory of change
Why it is important to visualize your theory of change
Why it can be challenging to visualize a theory of change
How you can visualize your theory of change
What is a theory of change and what is it used for?
A theory of change is a dynamic tool used by social sector organizations (non-profits, foundations, social enterprises, etc.) to explain:
What people do they serve/empower?
What they do and how they do it
Why they do it: the impact they hope to have
Below is an example of what a theory of change process might look like, if you explore an organization's planned outcomes and impacts to improve a child's well-being:
theory of change
CREATE THIS TEMPLATE
Instead of describing organizational change (the change that happens within the organization, which is part of traditional change management ), it describes the change that happens in society.
As you can see from the example, a theory of change process is a comprehensive description of how an organization seeks to effect change, describing causal connections (early, intermediate, and long-term outcomes) and the overall desired impact of the identified changes.
Theories of change are essential to the success of organizations seeking to make a social impact.
These can help both staff and shareholders to:
Clarify what progress and success look like, and what it takes to get there
Identify the resources needed and/or other factors that could affect success
Define what the organization can and cannot influence
Knowing what data should be collected and how it can be used to make decisions that improve outcomes
Return to Table of Contents
What does a good theory of change look like?
A theory of change should be iterative—that is, changing over time based on what the organization learns.
It should not be:
A way to severely package what the organization is already doing
A “tick-the-box” task that is done simply to satisfy investors or funders
A document placed on a shelf (or buried in the shared files)
A static concept that limits innovation
A theory of change has to be meaningful . Does it describe how the organization meets an important need? Does it provide a complete perspective on how and why social change occurs? Is it comprehensive, persuasive, and compelling?