Adapting to learn and learning to adapt

Adaptive programming and management principles focused on learning, experimentation, and evidence-based decision making are gaining traction with donor agencies and implementing partners in international development. Adaptation calls for using learning to inform adjustments during project implementation. This requires information gathering methods that promote reflection, learning, and adaption, beyond reporting on pre-specified data. A focus on adaptation changes traditional thinking about program cycle. It both erases the boundaries between design, implementation, and evaluation and reframes thinking to consider the complexity of development problems and nonlinear change pathways. Supportive management structures and processes are crucial for fostering adaptive management. Implementers and donors are experimenting with how procurement, contracting, work planning, and reporting can be modified to foster adaptive programming. Well-designed monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems can go beyond meeting accountability and reporting requirements to produce data and learning for evidence-based decision making and adaptive management. It is important to continue experimenting and learning to integrate adaptive programming and management into the operational policies and practices of donor agencies, country partners, and implementers. We need to devote ongoing effort to build the evidence base for the contributions of adaptive management to achieving international development results.

Adapting to learn and learning to adapt: practical advice from international

development projects Adaptable programming and management principles centered on learning, experimentation and evidence-based decision-making are gaining popularity among donors and implementing partners in the international development world. Adaptation requires learning so that adjustments made during the project are informed. This requires information-gathering methods that promote reflection, learning and adaptation, beyond pre-specified data. A focus on adaptation changes traditional thinking about the program cycle. On the one hand, it breaks down the boundaries between design, implementation and evaluation and, on the other hand, it reframes thinking to take into account the complexity of development problems and non-linear pathways of change.
Support for management structures and processes is essential to encourage adaptive management. Implementing organisations and donors are experimenting with how procurement, subcontracting, work planning and reporting can be modified so that adaptable programming is encouraged. Well-designed monitoring, evaluation and learning systems can go beyond accountability and reporting requirements to produce data and lessons for adaptable evidence-based decision-making and management. It is important to continue experimentation and learning in order to integrate programming and adaptive management into the operational policies and practices of donors, country partners and implementing entities. We need to make continuous efforts to build an evidence base that can contribute to adaptable management so that international development results are achieved.