References and Further Readings

This article aims to orient practitioners to key systems and complexity traditions and terms and how these have been put to use in the evaluation field.

This blog aims to help readers—especially those working with or exploring complexity theories—clarify the similarities and differences between systems thinking and complexity theories.

The authors developed a system and complexity (STCS) rubric for assessing food systems frameworks to reveal the complementarities across frameworks and enable dialogue and learning.

This article proposes two distinct mental models of Systems Change - the systems dynamics mental model and the systems emergence mental model.

This Deloitte Insights report explores how organizations can establish a "North Star" vision for improving developer experience (DevEx)—a strategic guiding reference that aligns DevEx initiatives with broader business objectives. It outlines key elements of a compelling vision, the role of DevEx teams, capability-building, stakeholder engagement, and steps to implement the vision effectively in complex and evolving technology environments.

This white paper explores how traditional evaluation methods must adapt to effectively assess complex, long-term system change efforts. It offers practical guidance and emerging approaches to help funders and practitioners evaluate impact more meaningfully in dynamic, real-world contexts.

These discussion notes explain how applying systemic thinking—focusing on interrelationships, perspectives, and boundaries—can strengthen monitoring practices. It offers practical guidance for integrating these concepts into what, when, and how to monitor, helping practitioners better understand dynamic contexts, include diverse viewpoints, and make informed decisions.

This paper guides you through an approach to adopt and tailor systemic approach to your specific challenge. It assumes that you are new to the systems field.

This article focuses on systems thinking and boundaries by Innovation North, a community of researchers working alongside organizations to develop solutions to business and systemic challenges. Over the period of 2019 to 2024 they assembled 30 corporate partners and 15 researchers in a Lab to develop a tool that would integrate systems thinking into corporate innovation processes.

This article emphasizes that wicked problems—like climate change—do not have clear system boundaries, and traditional strategy research often oversimplifies them by isolating firms from the broader, dynamic social-ecological systems they are embedded in.

A quick video introduction on Spheres of Influence by Steve Montigue.

This final report includes helpful distinctions across the 3 spheres of influence.

This article inquires into how development cooperation can credibly demonstrate its effectiveness and respond to mounting demands for transparency, impact, and justification. Including suggesting Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) units should move beyond being enforcers of indicators to become supportive, forward-looking advisors who foster a culture of learning and constructive feedback rather than fear and judgment.

The Water of Systems Change is a framework that helps funders and change-makers understand how to create lasting social change by addressing the underlying conditions that hold problems in place.

This article examines Glasgow’s transformation from the ‘murder capital of Europe’ to a model of violence reduction, exploring the so-called ‘Glasgow miracle.’ Drawing on interviews with 40 senior stakeholders from 2000 to 2020, it highlights how powerful personal narratives of tragedy and redemption have reshaped public perceptions of violence. The study contributes to narrative criminology by showing how storytelling influences policy progress and public understanding, emphasizing the role of storytellers in promoting change.

This paper highlights the urgent need to create new, sustainable systems that address complex societal challenges and go beyond improving existing ones. It aims to provide practical guidance on deliberately driving systemic innovation by connecting theory with real-world action.

The authors explore the difference between superficial (“mouthset”) and genuine (“mindset”) shifts in co-design and systems change, highlighting the challenges of truly embracing these approaches. They reflect on how to move beyond buzzwords to meaningful practice in government and innovation.

This Unstuck post examines how tourism can rebuild sustainably post-pandemic by adopting more thoughtful and conscious approaches. It offers curated insights from experts who recognize that “business as usual” is no longer viable.

The Green Commodities Programme supports systemic transformation of agricultural commodity sectors to make them more sustainable, equitable, and deforestation-free. It works by facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogue platforms and strengthening national capacities for governance and policy change in food systems.

Coamana is a technology company focused on transforming African markets and food systems by enabling stronger trade, information sharing, financing, resilience, and climate sustainability.

Amana Market is a marketplace platform that helps businesses connect buyers and sellers, manage procurement and supply chains, and streamline trade, payments, financing, and risk management for smoother growth.

This article highlights the CoAmana pilot from the UNDP Systems Monitoring Learning and Evaluation Initiative, showcasing tools developed to support systemic change. It shares key reflections and broader lessons learned from applying these approaches in traditional markets.

The article explores how transforming relationships within a system can unlock innovation and lead to healthier, more effective outcomes. It emphasizes that shifting these relational patterns is key to enabling new purposes, power dynamics, and resource flows for systemic change.

Future Economy Lab™ is a global research and design lab focused on creating financial tools and strategies that promote sustainable and inclusive economies and innovations.

SecondMuse Capital designs and manages investments that fund future economies aiming to deliver financial returns while protecting the planet, benefiting diverse communities, and encouraging sustainable innovation.

This article shares early insights from the Systems Monitoring Learning and Evaluation Initiative pilot in the Karamoja Cluster — an effort to apply dynamic management and adaptive learning in one of Africa’s complex borderland regions.

The International Fund for Public Interest Media is a global initiative dedicated to supporting independent journalism, especially in low- and middle-income countries where traditional media funding is shrinking. It aims to secure the survival of public interest media by unlocking new financial resources while maintaining independence.

The Donella Meadows Project preserves and promotes the legacy of Donella Meadows, a renowned systems thinker and teacher.

The article explains Peter Senge’s idea of learning organizations—businesses that prioritize continuous learning and teamwork to stay innovative and adaptable. It also covers the five core disciplines that help organizations grow and succeed in a fast-changing world.

The Iceberg Model helps social organizations see beyond surface events to understand the deeper patterns, structures, and beliefs driving recurring problems. By addressing these underlying causes, systems change becomes possible rather than just managing symptoms.

The article examines how philanthropy’s hidden and conflicting mental models affect efforts to drive systems change. It emphasizes the need for a systems approach that tackles root causes of social problems to create lasting, equitable impact.

This webpage offers a concise introduction to Critical Systems Heuristics (CSH)—a framework for reflective practice in systems thinking and evaluation.

This webpage introduces SenseMaker®, a narrative-based research and decision-support tool designed for complex systems and human sense-making. It is a key resource for understanding practical applications of complexity-informed methods.

The article introduces Impact Weaving, a methodological approach aimed at improving the plausibility of impact pathways in Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D).

Evaluation must become future-sensitive and outlines how to integrate futures thinking and foresight into evaluation processes, offering practical strategies for each phase of the evaluation cycle.

Definitions and terminology in MEL is a concise glossary clarifying core terms in monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL). It supports shared understanding among practitioners and enhances communication in development programs.

This practice paper explores the concept of bricolage in evaluation—the creative and adaptive use of multiple methods, tools, and perspectives to navigate the complexity of real-world development contexts. Drawing on practitioner experiences, it critiques rigid, one-size-fits-all evaluation frameworks and advocates for flexibility, reflexivity, and innovation.

This blog post explores how UNDP Myanmar is implementing its ‘Triple A’ approach—Anticipatory, Adaptive, and Agile—to enhance strategic decision-making and program delivery in complex and fast-changing environments. The post presents practical examples and lessons learned in applying this approach to drive local impact and build towards scalable, sustainable development outcomes.

This blog post from UNDP Angola reflects on the practice of Portfolio Dynamic Management (PDM) as a strategic, systemic approach to development. The article blends personal reflection with practical insight, exploring how PDM enables teams to work more collaboratively, iteratively, and with greater purpose toward transformational outcomes in complex systems.

This blog post shares early insights from the SMLE pilot conducted in Karamoja, Uganda. The article emphasizes how systems-based approaches can foster deeper learning and more relevant, grounded strategies in fragile and rapidly evolving environments—especially in underrepresented regions referred to as “borderlands.”

This page describes Participatory Systems Mapping (PSM) as implemented by LINC LLC. PSM is a collaborative tool used to visualize the structure and dynamics of complex systems—such as food, health, or market systems—by identifying stakeholders, relationships, and potential leverage points. The process is typically used during the strategy or design phase of development programming and engages diverse participants in defining system boundaries, co-generating knowledge, and building iterative visual representations like causal loop diagrams and actor maps.

This resource introduces Interactive Mapping, a method that enables the creation of dynamic maps with features such as zooming, panning, data querying, and layered information visualization. Unlike static cartography, interactive maps allow users to explore geographic and thematic data in depth—by selecting regions, drilling into specific features, or filtering content. The tool is particularly useful in participatory evaluation settings where stakeholder engagement, spatial dimensions of change, and system dynamics visualization are essential for collective understanding and decision-making in complex interventions.

This guidebook introduces the Causality Assessment for Landscape Interventions (CALI), a methodology designed to support adaptive management in landscape or jurisdictional interventions. CALI fosters participatory, ongoing reflection on the effectiveness of project strategies in reducing deforestation, emphasizing the continuous reassessment of the Theory of Change. It integrates a systems-thinking perspective to better understand causal relationships across intervention levels and guide evidence-based adjustments.

This resource outlines the method of Stakeholder Mapping and Analysis, designed to help evaluators identify and understand stakeholders—who they are, their interests, power, and relationships to a project. It explains how analysis informs evaluation planning and engagement strategies, emphasizing the value of mapping stakeholder influence, legitimacy, urgency, and evolving positions in a system.

It explains leverage points in systems where small, well-placed interventions can create major change. Describes a hierarchy from adjusting parameters to shifting paradigms. Emphasizes that deep systemic change comes from altering goals and mindsets.

It summarizes evaluations of global labor rights projects to identify effective practices. Finds that longer, better-resourced projects yield stronger, lasting outcomes. Provides recommendations to improve design and sustainability of future labor programs.

This document introduces the Causality Assessment for Landscape Interventions (CALI) framework as a methodological tool to identify cause-effect relationships in complex landscape interventions. It aims to support evidence-based decision-making by integrating multiple perspectives and contextual dynamics.

This blog post explores how the CALI framework can be applied to tackle deforestation in complex socio-ecological contexts, emphasizing the importance of adaptive, place-based strategies grounded in local knowledge. It presents practical insights from on-the-ground applications.

This article introduces the CALI methodology—a practical framework for applying Adaptive Management in complex systems. The approach is designed to support MEL efforts by enabling more responsive and iterative action. It emphasizes real-time observations, sensemaking, and a portfolio approach to navigate uncertainty and adapt strategies effectively.

This guide supports the UN Secretary-General’s call for accelerated food systems transformation and the UNSDG’s transition approach for achieving the SDGs. Aimed at UN Resident Coordinators and country teams, it provides key insights, tools, and practical knowledge to improve interagency coordination and adopt systems approaches for transforming food systems. The goal is to help governments and stakeholders design and implement actions that promote sustainable food systems and ensure healthy diets for all.

This site outlines a global effort to monitor the transformation of food systems through a comprehensive, indicator-based framework. It aims to track progress toward sustainable, healthy, and equitable food systems by 2030 and beyond. The website presents the methodology, indicators, governance, and publications related to the initiative, serving as a key resource for policymakers, researchers, and development practitioners working on food systems transformation.

This page provides access to the Food Systems Countdown Initiative (FSCI) indicators, which are used to monitor global progress toward sustainable food systems by 2030. The indicators are organized across multiple domains—such as food environments, supply chains, diets, and environmental outcomes—and draw from reliable data sources. The site offers interactive visualizations, downloadable datasets, and methodological notes, supporting evidence-based policymaking and research.

This dashboard is an interactive platform that consolidates global, national, and subnational data from multiple sources to provide a comprehensive overview of food systems. It enables users to analyze the interconnections between food production, supply chains, nutrition, health, and environmental impacts. The dashboard supports evidence-based decision-making by offering visual tools, country profiles, and curated indicators to track and transform food systems toward sustainability and equity.

This page presents data, insights, and progress tracking for the transformation of food and agriculture systems globally. It highlights key shifts needed—such as reducing food loss and waste, shifting diets, and transforming agricultural practices—to meet climate, biodiversity, and development goals. The platform provides visual dashboards, indicators, and analytical tools to support systemic action and monitor change across critical food-related sectors.

Our World in Data is an open-access, data-driven platform that provides extensive research, interactive charts, and visualizations on the world’s most pressing challenges—ranging from poverty, health, food systems, and climate change to technological progress and inequality. It combines rigorous academic research with accessible design to inform policy, education, and public debate, empowering users to understand long-term global trends through evidence.

This report explores the major drivers and triggers shaping the future of food and agriculture. It presents a strategic foresight approach to identify key challenges, opportunities, and possible pathways for transformation toward more sustainable, resilient, and equitable food systems. The publication emphasizes the need for systemic change, innovation, governance reform, and inclusive action to address interconnected global crises.

This publication presents the Food Systems Decision-Support Toolbox (T-S-U), a resource designed to help policymakers and practitioners understand, assess, and transform food systems. The toolbox integrates tools for Trade-offs, Synergies, and Uncertainties, offering structured guidance to support decision-making in the face of complexity. It includes case studies, methodologies, and frameworks to enable informed choices for sustainable and inclusive food system transformations.

This FAO publication provides a conceptual framework and methodological guide to assess national and territorial food systems. It is designed to support governments and stakeholders in identifying pathways for sustainable and inclusive transformation by analyzing system drivers, interlinkages, and performance indicators. The guide emphasizes participatory assessment, systemic thinking, and evidence-based decision-making to inform effective food systems governance and policy planning.

This page presents the FS-TIP Toolkit, a comprehensive set of tools and methods designed to guide the analysis and transformation of food systems. It helps stakeholders—such as policymakers, researchers, and development practitioners—identify leverage points, assess trade-offs, and build collaborative strategies for sustainable, equitable, and resilient food systems. The toolkit integrates systems thinking, participatory approaches, and scenario planning to support evidence-based decision-making.

This page describes Outcome Harvesting, an evaluation approach that identifies and analyzes what changes have occurred, who contributed, and how—without requiring predefined outcomes at the start. It is particularly useful in complex, dynamic, or politically sensitive contexts, where results emerge in unpredictable ways. The method involves collecting evidence of outcomes retrospectively and working backward to determine contributions, making it a powerful tool for learning and accountability.

This resource presents an impact evaluation using Outcome Harvesting to assess how systemic changes occurred in agricultural market systems in southwest Bangladesh. The study explores how different actors influenced market dynamics, particularly through facilitation strategies aimed at empowering smallholder farmers. It highlights lessons learned in applying outcome-oriented evaluation to complex market systems development (MSD), emphasizing adaptive learning and stakeholder engagement to track indirect and emergent changes over time.

This report documents an Outcome Harvesting evaluation of the Philippine Coffee Advancement and Farm Enterprise (PhilCAFE) Project. It captures evidence of significant behavioral, relational, and institutional changes in the Philippine coffee sector. The report outlines how stakeholders—including farmers, cooperatives, government bodies, and private actors—contributed to systemic improvements in productivity, quality standards, and market access, supporting inclusive and sustainable development in the coffee value chain.

This page introduces the method of Power Analysis within evaluation and strategic decision-making. It describes how evaluators and practitioners can assess the distribution and dynamics of power among stakeholders, institutions, and systems to better understand influence, resistance, and potential for change. The page outlines different types of power (e.g., visible, hidden, invisible), provides practical tools and guiding questions, and emphasizes the relevance of power analysis for promoting equity, participation, and transformational outcomes in complex interventions.

This publication presents the findings of a pilot project in Uganda using the Power Scan methodology to analyze power relations within the country’s food systems. Conducted by Cordaid with support from the Civic Engagement Alliance, the study explores the roles, influence, and interests of diverse actors across the food system. It aims to support inclusive transformation by identifying power imbalances, creating space for marginalized voices, and informing strategies for equity, participation, and food governance reform.

This peer-reviewed article examines how city networks are increasingly becoming influential actors in global agri-food governance. Through empirical analysis, the authors explore how these networks mobilize relational, institutional, and discursive power to reshape food systems toward more sustainable and just futures. The study highlights the transformative potential of urban food policy alliances, especially in confronting the challenges of climate change, inequality, and unsustainable production practices.

This article explores how different understandings of power shape analysis and action within food systems. The authors advocate for acknowledging and integrating diverse knowledge systems, values, and political standpoints to foster more inclusive and equitable transformations. The piece sets the stage for a special issue dedicated to unpacking power dynamics in food governance, with contributions from research, practice, and advocacy perspectives.

This publication presents the findings of the Power Project, a multi-year investigation into how power operates within global food systems. The report examines power through six lenses—including narratives, structures, governance, and access to resources—and explores how power shapes food system outcomes, inequalities, and possibilities for transformation. It offers tools and reflections for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners aiming to address power imbalances and build more just and sustainable food futures.

This resource introduces Social Network Analysis (SNA) as a method for understanding the relationships and influence patterns among actors in a system. It explains how SNA can be used in evaluations to assess collaboration, knowledge flow, decision-making, and power structures. The page includes key concepts, visual examples, tools, and references to guide practitioners in applying SNA to monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) processes.

This interactive story map platform shares findings from a 2024 network survey conducted during the Causality Assessment for Landscape Interventions (CALI) Workshop in Pucallpa, Peru. Using a systems mapping approach, it illustrates how diverse stakeholders—including Indigenous communities, civil society organizations, government entities, and private sector actors—are building collaborative relationships to address deforestation and advance sustainable landscapes. Through social network analysis, the visualization highlights new and strengthened ties among participants, showcasing relational dynamics and increased connectivity as critical levers for territorial governance and inclusive development in the Peruvian Amazon.

This web page presents an overview of how Social Network Analysis (SNA) is applied within the Transforming Hawaiʻi’s Food System Together initiative. It explains how SNA helps to map, understand, and strengthen relationships among stakeholders in Hawaiʻi’s food system—including farmers, community organizations, educators, and policymakers. The resource highlights how relational insights can inform more inclusive and coordinated actions, supporting systemic transformation rooted in equity, resilience, and local knowledge.

This resource introduces the Most Significant Change (MSC) technique, a participatory monitoring and evaluation method that collects and analyzes personal stories of change from project participants. It is particularly useful in complex or dynamic settings where outcomes are difficult to quantify. The page outlines the steps of the MSC process, including collecting stories, selecting the most significant ones, and using them to inform reflection and learning. It also provides tools, tips, and examples for applying MSC effectively in real-world settings.

This peer-reviewed article explores the application of the Most Significant Change (MSC) method to evaluate food systems initiatives in Michigan. The authors reflect on the process of collecting and analyzing personal stories as a way to measure impact in complex, community-based food systems work. The paper highlights benefits, challenges, and adaptations of MSC and emphasizes the method's potential to uncover qualitative insights that traditional metrics might overlook. It serves as a practical and reflective guide for researchers and practitioners working on participatory evaluation.

This influential essay outlines twelve key leverage points—places within a complex system where a small shift can lead to significant change. The piece offers a hierarchy of intervention strategies, ranging from changing constants and parameters to altering system goals and paradigms. Widely cited in systems thinking and sustainability studies, this resource provides a framework for identifying high-impact interventions in social, environmental, and organizational systems.

This peer-reviewed article identifies and analyzes key leverage points that can accelerate the adoption of organic food production and consumption in the UK. Using a systems thinking approach, the authors examine factors such as policy incentives, consumer behavior, supply chain structures, and knowledge systems. The study offers practical recommendations for stakeholders aiming to support sustainable food system transformation through targeted interventions at critical points of influence.

This blog post explores how traditional markets can serve as critical entry points for transforming food systems. Drawing on field experiences and community engagement, it highlights the importance of local knowledge, informal economies, and relationship networks in creating inclusive, resilient, and sustainable food systems. The article calls for bottom-up innovation, policy alignment, and system-sensitive design that centers around the realities of everyday food traders and consumers.

In this article, Colleen Lannon introduces the fundamental concepts of causal loop diagrams (CLDs)—a core tool in systems thinking for visualizing feedback and interconnections within complex systems. The piece explains how to identify variables, construct loops, distinguish between reinforcing and balancing feedback, and avoid common modeling pitfalls. It is a practical and accessible guide for professionals and learners aiming to understand dynamic behavior and leverage points in systems.

This interactive system map illustrates the results of a participatory mapping process for the agroecological and livestock systems in the Peruvian Amazon, specifically in the regions of Ucayali and Huánuco. Developed in the context of the UNDP’s sustainable landscapes program, the map visualizes key actors, relationships, feedback loops, and leverage points. It serves as a decision-support tool for stakeholders aiming to foster inclusive, productive, and sustainable transformations in territorial governance and land-use planning.

This page introduces Developmental Evaluation (DE), a dynamic and adaptive approach designed to support innovation in complex or uncertain environments. Unlike traditional evaluations focused on accountability or summative outcomes, DE is embedded in real-time processes, helping teams learn, adapt, and evolve their strategies as conditions change. The resource outlines DE principles, roles, practical examples, and its use in systems change, social innovation, and adaptive management contexts.

This report shares early findings from the developmental evaluation of the Nourish initiative, a project focused on transforming sustainable food systems in Canadian healthcare institutions. The document captures lessons learned about collaborative innovation, systems change, and adaptive learning, offering practical insights into how developmental evaluation can guide emergent strategies and strengthen the impact of complex, multi-stakeholder interventions.

This blog post offers a hands-on guide to navigating complexity through learning and adaptation. It introduces practical strategies for managing uncertainty in development programs using tools like feedback loops, safe-to-fail experiments, sensemaking, and iteration. Framed within real-world development settings, the article emphasizes adaptive management and systems thinking as key capacities for teams working in dynamic environments, encouraging reflection, responsiveness, and ongoing learning.

This page highlights the value of visualization in systems thinking and change processes. It explains how system maps can help stakeholders see interconnections, clarify complex dynamics, and identify leverage points for action. The content introduces key principles of system mapping methodology, including participation, iteration, and sensemaking, to support learning, collaboration, and strategic decision-making in complex systems.

This interactive system map visualizes the environmental landscape governance dynamics within the Siak–Pelalawan district in Riau Province, Indonesia. Developed through a systemic approach, the map illustrates key actors, interlinked governance structures, power relations, and feedback loops that shape land-use decisions and conservation outcomes. It offers stakeholders an accessible, participatory tool to explore complexity in landscape governance, identify leverage points, and support adaptive, integrated interventions for forest-positive agriculture and sustainable landscapes.

This page from the University of Minnesota Extension introduces Ripple Effect Mapping (REM)—a participatory evaluation method used to visually capture the broader impacts of community programs and initiatives. REM combines techniques such as appreciative inquiry, mind mapping, and storytelling to document outcomes, connections, and unexpected changes. Widely applied in community development, this tool supports group reflection, systems learning, and strategic planning by highlighting both direct and ripple effects of interventions.

This case study from the Virginia Cooperative Extension explores the application of Ripple Effect Mapping (REM)—specifically its rippling and theming approach—as an evaluation method in Extension programs. It demonstrates how REM can capture both intended and unintended outcomes, deepen stakeholder engagement, and generate meaningful insights for program improvement, impact documentation, and strategic planning. The publication offers practical guidance for Extension professionals seeking to evaluate complex, community-based initiatives.

This publication by INTRAC for Civil Society introduces the concept and practice of sensemaking in the context of monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL). It outlines how organizations can create structured opportunities for teams and stakeholders to reflect on data, generate insights, and adapt strategies in real time. The guide includes principles, methods, and examples of how sensemaking can support learning in complex, dynamic development settings.

This facilitator guide, developed by the UNDP Regional Innovation Centre for Asia and the Pacific, provides practical tools and methodologies for leading sensemaking workshops in development contexts. It is designed to help teams and partners reflect on patterns, emerging insights, and strategic directions using a systems thinking lens. The guide includes step-by-step instructions, facilitation tips, and templates to support participatory learning and adaptive decision-making in complex environments.

This report by the Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation documents the sensemaking workshop held in Sudan as part of the FNS-REPRO (Food and Nutrition Security Resilience Programme). It captures stakeholder insights, system dynamics, and emerging priorities for enhancing resilience in food systems affected by conflict. The document highlights participatory learning, collaborative reflection, and the use of systems mapping as tools for shaping context-responsive strategies and programmatic actions.

This book offers a practical, step-by-step guide to implementing Ripple Effects Mapping (REM)—a participatory evaluation method used to identify and visualize the outcomes of community programs. Written by a team of experts from the U.S. Cooperative Extension system, the guide covers REM’s foundations in appreciative inquiry and systems thinking, along with detailed instructions for facilitation, data analysis, and application in a variety of contexts. It is an essential resource for practitioners aiming to assess complex and emergent change.

In this video, Scott Chazdon provides a clear and concise introduction to Ripple Effects Mapping (REM), a participatory evaluation method that captures both intended and unintended program outcomes. The video explains REM’s foundations in appreciative inquiry and systems thinking, outlines key steps in the process, and shares practical insights on how to apply the method for community learning, reflection, and decision-making.

This article explores how Ripple Effects Mapping (REM) can be adapted for evaluating public health initiatives within complex systems. Drawing from seven diverse case studies, the authors reflect on how REM supports systems thinking, stakeholder engagement, and the identification of both intended and emergent outcomes. The paper offers practical recommendations for implementation, emphasizing REM’s value in capturing nuanced, dynamic changes in public health settings.

This page outlines its application of the Ripple Effect Mapping (REM) approach as a participatory evaluation method. It explains how REM is used to visualize the broader impacts of programs and policies by capturing qualitative outcomes through storytelling and stakeholder engagement. The approach supports learning, reflection, and adaptive planning, and is especially useful in complex systems where change occurs in nonlinear and interconnected ways.

In this article, Wilkinson et al. (2021) propose a methodology for creating holistic and complexity-sensitive Theory of Change (ToC) diagrams by using Participatory Systems Mapping (PSM) as a foundation. Recognizing the limitations of simplified or linear ToCs, the authors advocate for a system-based approach that incorporates feedback loops, broader contexts, and potential unintended consequences. Their method offers evaluators a structured way to translate the richness of system maps into actionable ToCs, enhancing their practical utility in evaluation contexts. The article uses the "energy trilemma" as an illustrative example.

In this guidance document, Abercrombie, Boswell, and Thomasoo (2018) explore how Theory of Change (ToC) can be adapted to support systems change efforts. The report addresses the limitations of traditional linear ToC models when dealing with complex social systems, and offers practical guidance for applying ToC in a way that embraces complexity, non-linearity, and uncertainty. Through frameworks, examples, and recommendations, the authors show how ToC can be used not just to plan interventions, but to navigate, learn from, and influence dynamic systems.

This resource page provides a summary of Michael Quinn Patton’s seminal book on Developmental Evaluation (DE). The book introduces DE as an approach suited to complex and emergent environments, where traditional evaluation methods fall short. It integrates systems thinking and complexity science to support innovation, adaptation, and real-time learning. The BetterEvaluation summary outlines key principles, use cases, and guidance for evaluators and decision-makers working in dynamic contexts.

This practitioner’s guide provides a practical introduction to Developmental Evaluation (DE) and its application in supporting social innovation and complex systems change. Commissioned by the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, the guide outlines DE principles, evaluator roles, and implementation steps. The BetterEvaluation page offers a detailed summary of the publication, highlighting how DE helps organizations learn and adapt in dynamic environments by embedding evaluation into real-time decision-making.

This primer introduces key concepts of Developmental Evaluation (DE) for practitioners working in complex, adaptive systems. Written by Frances Westley, Brenda Zimmerman, and Michael Quinn Patton, it explains how DE supports innovation by integrating evaluation and learning into the design and adaptation process. The BetterEvaluation summary provides an overview of its core principles, theoretical foundations, and practical guidance, helping organizations navigate uncertainty and change.

This short diagnostic checklist is a practical tool for determining whether a Developmental Evaluation (DE) approach is appropriate for a given project or initiative. It outlines key characteristics of complexity, such as uncertainty, innovation, and emergent outcomes, and provides reflection questions to help practitioners and organizations assess the fit of DE within their context. It serves as a quick reference for planning or refining evaluation strategies in dynamic environments.

This resource provides guidance on how to effectively budget for Developmental Evaluation (DE). It outlines key cost considerations specific to DE, such as ongoing engagement, real-time feedback, adaptive planning, and embedded evaluator roles. The content includes practical tips, examples of budget items, and reflections on aligning financial planning with the emergent and iterative nature of DE processes in complex systems.

BetterEvaluation is a global knowledge platform dedicated to improving evaluation theory and practice across diverse sectors and contexts. It offers a comprehensive repository of methods, tools, frameworks, case studies, and guidance for designing and implementing effective evaluations. The site supports both new and experienced evaluators, fostering a collaborative community focused on learning, adaptation, and evidence-informed decision-making in complex environments.

This tool provides a structured visual framework to guide the evaluation of systems change initiatives. It is designed to support teams in planning, reflecting, and adapting their evaluation strategies in complex systems. The canvas includes prompts and sections that help clarify intended impacts, key actors, feedback loops, and learning mechanisms, fostering alignment among stakeholders and enhancing evaluative thinking in dynamic environments.

This paper introduces a practical inquiry framework for evaluating results in systems change initiatives. It emphasizes learning over accountability, advocating for flexible, iterative, and reflective approaches in evaluating complex social change. The framework outlines guiding questions and principles for evaluators and practitioners working in dynamic systems, helping them navigate uncertainty while tracking transformation.

This website presents the mission and work of Porticus, an international philanthropic organization dedicated to advancing human dignity, social justice, and environmental sustainability. It outlines the organization's four strategic priorities: supporting the development of future generations, reinforcing social cohesion, nurturing vibrant faith communities, and protecting the Earth. Through collaborative partnerships and systemic approaches, Porticus aims to foster lasting positive change at both local and global levels.

This website describes VicHealth, the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, which was established in 1987 through the Tobacco Act, making it the world’s first health promotion foundation. It outlines VicHealth’s mandate and strategic focus on promoting good health and preventing chronic disease across Victoria through funding programs, research, public campaigns, and partnerships spanning sectors like sport, education, and the arts. The page highlights VicHealth's governance as a statutory body and its evolution in funding models—from tobacco tax levies to public funding—alongside its leadership in public health innovation locally and globally.

Clear Horizon Consulting is a values‑driven, world-class Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning consultancy, working globally to support systems transformation across people, place, and planet. They provide services in developmental evaluation, story-based approaches like Most Significant Change, digital impact solutions, and interactive learning and mentoring. With deep expertise in systems-thinking and participatory design, they partner with changemakers—from governments and community groups to social innovators—to embed learning and drive meaningful impact in complex environments.

This policy framework outlines how VicHealth will measure the impact of its 2023–2033 strategy, focusing on systems change across health, economic, and equity domains. It defines four layers of impact—aspirations, system-wide shifts, ways of working, and funded initiatives—and links them through a clear theory of change. The document specifies data needs, monitoring mechanisms, and evaluation questions designed to support learning, adaptive management, and progress toward a healthier, fairer Victoria.

This article presents early insights from the Systems Monitoring, Learning, and Evaluation (MLE) pilot conducted in the Karamoja borderlands. The piece examines how dynamic, systems-based learning and adaptive management are applied in a highly complex and fragile context. It emphasizes participatory reflection, iterative learning processes, and the co-creation of strategies to address interconnected challenges—such as climate shocks, food insecurity, and fragmented development efforts.

This blog post reflects on the evolving role of learning partnerships in systems and complexity-informed development. It draws from a session hosted within UNDP’s M&E Sandbox to explore how neutral partners facilitate collaborative learning, safe sensemaking spaces, and trust-building among stakeholders. The piece highlights practical themes such as intentional collaboration design, emergence-focused facilitation, power dynamics, storytelling as learning, and the shift from project-based to partnership-driven evaluation models.

This blog post explores the concept and value of learning partnerships in the nonprofit and funding sectors. It defines learning partnerships as structured relationships that support shared learning across organizations. The post outlines what learning partners can do—such as enabling insight generation, analyzing evidence, and disseminating lessons—while identifying the key factors that support successful partnerships: participant capacity, systems for knowledge exchange, and a culture of reflection and learning. It also discusses why organizations might commission a learning partner and the added value they bring compared to traditional evaluators.

This case study on Clear Horizon Consulting’s website details a learning partnership between VicHealth and Clear Horizon’s Systems Transformation Unit, aimed at designing and implementing an impact measurement framework aligned with systems transformation principles. The collaborative process involved developing “systems-level theories of change,” embedding measurement across spheres of control, influence, and aspiration, and using innovative tools such as impact logs, contribution analysis, and media monitoring. The partnership emphasizes mutual learning with stakeholders, iterative co‑creation, and measurement approaches suited to promoting health outcomes at the system level.

This report presents the learning partnership between Gatsby Africa and ITAD, focusing on their collaborative evaluation strategy in agriculture development. It details how the partnership was structured to promote mutual learning, evidence sharing, and adaptive project design. The document covers themes such as co-design, continuous reflection, and feedback loops—with a particular emphasis on how evaluation processes were embedded to drive impactful and sustainable program improvement across African food systems.

System mapping in Kumu is a method for visually exploring complex relationships and dynamics within a system. It helps users create interactive maps that combine storytelling, data, and multimedia elements to reveal connections and feedback loops. This approach makes it easier to understand, communicate, and influence change within intricate systems.

The System Mapping Toolkit by the System Mapping Academy provides a structured framework and visual templates to help teams understand, analyze, and communicate complex systems. It guides users in identifying relationships, feedback loops, and leverage points, making it easier to design interventions and foster systems thinking in projects.

The Sensemaking Workshop Preparation and Facilitator Guides by UNDP’s Asia-Pacific Regional Innovation Centre provide teams with structured tools to reflect on their project portfolios and improve strategic coherence. The materials help organizations assess relevance, maximize impact, and efficiently use resources through guided workshops and self-paced training.

In this article, Jess Daggers argues that conventional impact measurement approaches fail to align with systems and complexity thinking and proposes deeper frameworks grounded in ontology, epistemology, and methodology. The piece encourages rethinking how interventions, measurement, and strategies are framed in systemic investing to better engage with complex systems.