Benefits and Challenges of Applying Outcome Mapping in an R4D project

Abstract

There is an increasing demand for researchers to demonstrate the impact of the work within project time frames, yet development is a complex, non-linear process emerging from changes that traditional, managerial approaches to development fail to capture or to understand. Methods to address unanticipated change and increasingly important ‘soft’ outcomes, such as improved governance have not yet been widely tested or adopted. In response to this gap, this paper describes lessons learned during the pilot testing of Outcome Mapping as part of an action research process in Vietnam, and presents an abridged OM methodology for application at the community level. The experiences presented in this paper grew out of a practical need to introduce alternative methods for monitoring and impact assessment in a large-scale, multi-country project. The project aimed to test technical and institutional options for community-based fish culture in seasonal floodplains