Understanding the Theory of Change section

Here’s a step-by-step guide to using the Theory of Change section in Wathaga, based on the document you provided.

Guide to Using the Theory of Change Section in Wathaga

The Theory of Change section in Wathaga is a powerful, flexible framework for planning, structuring, and evaluating your initiatives. It uses a colour-coded labelling system to connect your goals, activities, and outcomes, helping you track progress and make strategic decisions.

1. Understanding the Labelling System

• Labels are central to the Theory of Change and are colour-coded according to their category.

  Categories include:

  • Big Goals – Overarching long-term objectives, often beyond a single initiative (e.g., “Closing the gap” in health outcomes).
  • Streams – Broad thematic areas or workstreams within your program (e.g., Healthy Eating, Physical Activity).
  • Activities – Specific actions you or your team take to reach your goals (e.g., Cooking classes, Drug Awareness Poster Campaign).
  • Early Outcomes – Short-term goals expected in the near future.
  • Outcomes – Longer-term impacts achieved over time.
  • Opportunities – Labels for potential avenues or resources that could help achieve goals.
  • Challenges – Potential risks or barriers that might hinder progress.
  • Signals – Key pieces of information that support the program and outcomes.

2. Navigating the Theory of Change

1. Go to the Theory of Change tab in your initiative.

   Switch between views:

   • All Labels – See everything in one place.
   • Change Framework – Displays the logical flow: streams → activities → outcomes.
   • Streams View – Focuses on a single stream and its related elements.

3. Working with Big Goals

• Use Big Goals for broad, strategic aims, even those beyond the scope of your initiative.
• Click a goal to edit its details, assign labels, or connect it to activities and outcomes.

4. Organising with Streams

• Streams group-related activities and goals, helping you structure large initiatives into manageable parts.

  Examples:

  • Healthy Eating
  • Physical Activity
  • Drug and Alcohol Use.

5. Defining Activities

• Add specific program actions under the Activities column.
• Align activities to streams, short-term goals, or long-term goals.

6. Setting Outcomes

• Early Outcomes: Define what you expect to happen soon (e.g., Increased number of healthy eaters).
• Outcomes: Define your long-term results and link them back to your Big Goals.

7. Using Opportunities and Challenges

• Opportunities: Identify supportive factors, funding sources, or partnerships that could help achieve outcomes.
• Challenges: Label potential barriers, such as resource shortages or community resistance.

8. Adding Signals

• Use Signals to capture important context or data points that inform your strategy (e.g., “Cooking Shows are Popular”).
• Signals can be linked to data sources or tools.

9. Linking Data Sources and Tools

• Assign a Data Source (organisation or individual providing data) to a label.
• Link relevant Data Tools (forms, surveys, import tools) for tracking and evidence collection.

10. Editing and Adding Labels

• Almost anything in the Theory of Change can be labelled and relabelled.

  Click an item to:

  • Edit its title, description, and labels.
  • Add new labels under categories like Opportunities, Challenges, or Signals.

11. Saving Your Changes

• After editing or linking a label, click Save to update it in the system.

12. Best Practices

• Keep Big Goals broad and inspiring.
• Use Streams to divide complex initiatives into focus areas.
• Review Opportunities and Challenges regularly to adapt your strategy.
• Link Data Tools and Sources early to ensure you have the right evidence for reporting.