Program Design Simulation

  • Objective: To begin to think through program design components for an identified candidate impact group and goal/vision.
  • Preparation/Materials: This exercise should be grounded in:
    • A defined candidate Impact Population (IP) of focus
    • An understanding of the situation and identification of a core set of challenges that face the impact population
    • A 10-15 year Impact Vision or Goal for the population.
  • Participants: Staff, partners and other key stakeholders related to the candidate impact group.

Steps

Phase 1: Casual Pathways

  • Individually, participants identify four critical societal changes that they see in a causal path that relates to the challenges/ UCPs of your TOC. Each is written on a card.
  • Each participant maps their sequential pathway on the floor
  • The facilitator leads a discussion on observations, reflections, patterns/themes from the exercise

 

Phase 2: Sleeping Beauties

  • Individually, each participant imagine that they fall asleep and awake in the future. For thinking 5 years into the future and 10/15 years into the future, the facilitator asks:
    • How might society have changed, and the lives of the impact population improved?
    • Can you describe changes that might have happened that would make a real difference to the lives of the impact population?
  • Participants write on separate cards, write 1-2 changes you see in 5-years, and 1-2 changes you see in 15-years.
  • Each participant shares the changes, on the wall.
  • The facilitator leads a discussion on observations, reflections, patterns/themes from the exercise. During the discussion, participants add detail – what happens in the vicinity of these changes? What other changes come to mind, as you spark off of each other’s ideas?

 

Phase 3: Acting the Actors

  • Together, participants brainstorm six critical actors in this program arena.
  • Each team takes one actor/actor group, so each assumes a role
  • In teams, actors flesh out the characteristics of the actor/actor group, according to:
    • Name
    • What really motivates you?
    • Who provides your source of power?
    • To whom are you really accountable?
    • Who do you influence?
    • What would attract you to support the program goal?
    • Who threatens you?
  • Once all actor IDs are fleshed out, the facilitator leads a discussion on:
    • What are two key actions each actor might be interested in, with respect to the pathways that have been constructed so far?
    • Participates then map out how actors and actions align with pathways. Participants discuss potential power dynamics of collaboration, competition between them.

 

Phase 4: Identifying Breakthroughs

  • Identifying the game changers: Looking across all the cards, participants identify 3-5 cards that have been mapped that they feel would represent significant achievements that could be feasible, and are things that could serve as guides for a program to aim at, at different time periods in the process. These cards are marked.

 

Phase 5: Reflecting on Lessons Learnt

  • To close the simulation, the facilitator asks participants to: Raise one or two key thoughts that you have learned through the process you have been through. List these.
  • What key gaps for further analysis need to be filled to inform the team's understanding of causal pathways, breakthroughs and key actors/actor groups?

Related Tools

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Resources

  • M Drinkwater (2010). Program Design Simulation Exercise: Program Approach Workshop for the Middle East: Amman.
  • D Wu (2010). CARE International in Uganda: Women and Girls of Reproductive Age Affected by Conflict. Draft Programme Design Document