Working with Logic Models

Olivier Serrat
2014

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 On Logic Models
In
development Logic models help to:
assistance, • Analyze problems; identify a desired impact;
most projects
• Establish a logical hierarchy of means by
(and
which the desired impact will be conduced
programs) are
by a contributing outcome;
planned,
monitored, • Identify clusters of outputs toward that;
and evaluated • Determine how accomplishments might be
using logic monitored and evaluated, and planned and
models, the actual results compared;
purpose of • Flag the assumptions on which a project is
which is to based and the associated risks; summarize a
synthesize "if– project in a standard format; and
then" (causal) • Build consensus with stakeholders; and
relationships. create ownership of the project.
 The Results Chain
The physical and non-physical resources (personnel,
Inputs equipment) and finance necessary to perform planned
activities and manage the project.

The specific tasks performed, using resources and methods,

Activities
in order to achieve intended outputs.

The products and services produced or competences and

Outputs
capacities established directly as a result of project activities.

The intended situation at the end of (or soon after) the

Outcome project's lifespan in terms of gains in performance (as a result
of changes in knowledge and behavior).

The improvement of a situation that respond to the

Impact identified development needs of the target population under
a long-term vision.
 The Logical Framework
Design Summary Performance Data Sources and Assumptions and Risks
Reporting
Impact: The broader impact of Measures of the extent to Sources of information and Assumptions and risks at the
the project at a sectoral and which the project has ways to gather and report it impact level are beyond the
national level contributed to the impact control of the project but
essential to attainment of the
impact

Outcome: The expected Conditions at the end of the Sources of information and Assumptions and risks at the
outcome at the end of the project indicating that its ways to gather and report it outcome level are those that
project outcome has been achieved relate to attainment of
outcome targets

Outputs: The direct results of Measures of the quantity and Sources of information and Assumptions and risks at the
the project (works, goods, and quality of outputs and the ways to gather and report it output level are those that are
services) timing of their delivery external and beyond the
control of the project
implementers but essential for
successful attainment of the
outputs

Activities with Milestones: The tasks executed to deliver the outputs identified Inputs: The various resource
categories required to
undertake the project should
be identified
The Results Chain and the OECD-
DAC Evaluation Criteria
Needs Impact

Outcome

Objective Inputs Activities Outputs

Relevance Efficiency

Effectiveness
Sustainability
 Challenges and Limits to
Management
Challenge of
Degree of Monitoring
Logic
Control and
Evaluation

What the
project is
Impact
expected to
contribute to

Increasing Difficulty
Decreasing Control
Outcome What the
project can be
Outputs What is within expected to
the direct achieve and
Activities be
control of the
project's accountable
Inputs management for
 Working the Logic
It is a rare project that unfolds exactly according to plan: logic models
per se neither guarantee good project design nor replace other
instruments of project management.

During project implementation, one must pay close attention to the

cause-and-effect relationships between inputs, activities with
milestones, outputs, outcome, and impact.

Importantly, outputs (and the activities and related inputs that deliver
these) are what is within the direct control of the project's
management.
Plans are only good intentions unless they
immediately degenerate into hard work.
—Peter Drucker
 Working the Logic
Therefore, in relation to outputs, one must during project
implementation make repeatedly certain that inputs for activities are
deployed successfully. (Or, one must adjust the means of attaining
the outcome, including the definition of outputs, the mix of
activities, and the indicators needed to measure accomplishment of
newly-defined performance targets.)

It is possible to deepen and extend the logical framework. For each

output of a project, one can examine methodically whether targets
are being achieved, how activities are being implemented, and how
activities might be improved. One can then itemize individual action
plans, the execution of which should then be monitored. A tool for
output accomplishment and improvement of activities is depicted
overleaf—for the sake of simplicity, it indicates only two targets per
output.
On Output Accomplishment and
Improvement of Activities
 Further Reading
• ADB. 2008. Output Accomplishment and the Design and
Monitoring Framework. Manila.
www.adb.org/publications/output-accomplishment-and-
design-and-monitoring-framework
• ——. 2008. Focusing on Project Metrics. Manila.
www.adb.org/publications/focusing-project-metrics
• ——. 2008. Outcome Mapping. Manila.
www.adb.org/publications/outcome-mapping
• ——. 2011. Critical Thinking. Manila.
www.adb.org/publications/critical-thinking
• ——. 2013. Theories of Change. Manila.
digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/intl/269/
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