The theory of change model is a rigorous yet participatory process whereby groups and stakeholders in a planning process articulate their long-term goals and identify the conditions they believe have to unfold for those goals to be met. These conditions are modeled as desired outcomes, arranged graphically in a causal framework. A theory of change describes the types of interventions (a single program or coordinated initiative) that bring about the outcomes depicted in the outcomes framework map. Each intervention is tied to an outcome in the causal framework, revealing the often complex web of activity required to bring about change. The framework provides a working model against which to test hypotheses and assumptions about what actions will best produce the outcomes in the model.

 

H. Clark and D. Taplin (2012). Theory of Change Basics: A Primer on Theory of Change. New York: Actknowledge.