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11. Humanitarian systemic learning framework toolkit

Author:
Ben Ramalingam
Publication Date:
04-2023
Content Type:
Course Pack
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
The Humanitarian Strategic Learning Framework was developed by Ben Ramalingam for ALNAP , drawing on the multi-level perspective (MLP) of scholar Frank Geels. It can be used proactively or retrospectively for analysing change processes in the humanitarian sector. It specifically takes into account the impact of crises on the existing humanitarian sector. It explores how change plays out at the overall landscape, the sector itself and the niches of the sector. It enables analysis of how changes at these levels interact and reinforce or dampen change at other level. It can be used by leaders, policy makers and researchers seeking to better understand past change processes – successful or otherwise. It can also inform strategic analysis of ongoing or hoped-for changes. Frank Geels' MLP consists of: Landscape, which represents the wider environment – both humanitarian and wider socio-political and economic contextual trends, drivers and factors. Socio-technical regimes, which entails the specific configuration of funding, policies, technologies, processes, cultures and skills that underpin dominant patterns of behaviour and action. Niches, which can be described as the emerging efforts where new niche activities gives rise to novel innovations, operating models and communities.
Topic:
Organizational Learning, Humanitarian Organizations, and Systems Thinking
Political Geography:
Global Focus

12. Review of the OECD DAC criteria for evaluating humanitarian action: A mapping of literature, guidance and practice

Author:
ALNAP
Publication Date:
08-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
In 2006, ALNAP published Evaluating humanitarian action using the OECD DAC criteria, an ALNAP guide for humanitarian agencies to strengthen the evaluation of humanitarian action. The primary purpose of this paper is to provide evidence, using existing literature for ALNAP to review and update its 2006 guide. It also serves as a review on the use of the evaluation criteria in humanitarian settings, contributing to the broader body of evaluative knowledge. This paper, a mapping of literature, guidance and practice, provides a high-level overview of each of the OECD DAC criteria for evaluating humanitarian action, how they have been interpreted in sector-wide and organisational guidance, key issues identified in the literature and application in contemporary evaluations. It does not identify contemporary, undocumented debates on the criteria; these will be addressed through forthcoming consultations.
Topic:
Humanitarian Aid, Literature Review, OECD, Planning, Monitoring, and and Evaluation (PME)
Political Geography:
Global Focus

13. Learning to be more 'locally-led'? Current practice and evidence gaps in the international humanitarian sector

Author:
Vijayalakshmi Viswanathan
Publication Date:
11-2023
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
This paper aims to provide a clear summary of the evidence and perspectives to date around the issues of localisation and locally led action. Based on the learning gaps that emerged through the literature review and interviews, it also sets out a broad learning agenda around this topic. Research around localisation/locally led humanitarian action proves particularly challenging since its interpretations change depending on where you are or with whom you are speaking. So, although significant attention and literature have been generated since the build-up to the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit, this has primarily focused on tracking progress against commitments towards localisation made by international actors. There is surprisingly little evidence on the relationship between locally led humanitarian action and performance on the ground.
Topic:
Humanitarian Aid, International Organization, Localization, Planning, Monitoring, and and Evaluation (PME)
Political Geography:
Global Focus

14. Working across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus: What can we learn from evaluations?

Author:
ALNAP
Publication Date:
12-2023
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
This humanitarian-development-peace nexus evaluation mapping and synthesis paper aims to share key findings from evaluations on how organisations have advanced their version of a nexus approach. The paper offers insights on how the policy concept of the triple nexus has been operationalised and implemented in practice, and it looks at what can be learned from recent efforts. The paper presents a mapping of evidence and analysis from 90 evaluations, syntheses and lessons learned papers that were undertaken between 2018 and April 2022, and it reflects on key findings and trends in those publications.
Topic:
Development, Humanitarian Aid, Organizations, Planning, Monitoring, and and Evaluation (PME)
Political Geography:
Global Focus

15. Learning where it matters: Piloting action learning with frontline humanitarian staff

Author:
Jennifer Doherty
Publication Date:
04-2022
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
The knowledge of frontline staff – those directly involved in programme implementation and monitoring – is fundamental to good humanitarian action. These individuals make decisions and solve problems every day in their work with crisis-affected populations. The interactions they have with communities produce important information on how to implement projects most effectively to meet local needs. Despite the central importance of this knowledge to effective programming, frontline learning has consistently lacked support. ALNAP created an action learning resource pack and supported training on action learning with 26 frontline staff from local, national and international humanitarian NGOs between December 2020 and October 2021. This study explores the learning and reflections from that pilot on using action learning with frontline staff in humanitarian contexts.
Topic:
Humanitarian Aid, Community, Project Management, and Implementation
Political Geography:
Global Focus

16. Systems Thinking Handbook for Humanitarians

Author:
Leah Campbell
Publication Date:
08-2022
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
This handbook introduces the ‘how’ of systems thinking for humanitarians – specifically the particular skills that systems thinkers need to practice and seven basic tools for systems thinking. You can also find a helpful glossary of terms at the end. If you’re new to systems thinking, you may like to take a look at the accompanying ALNAP paper, Systems thinking for humanitarians: An introduction for the complete beginner, which provides further background on what systems thinking is and why it is relevant to and useful for the sorts of complex problems that humanitarians face.
Topic:
Humanitarian Aid, Handbook, and Systems Thinking
Political Geography:
Global Focus

17. Communicating humanitarian learning: What do we know?

Author:
Jo-Hannah Lavey
Publication Date:
08-2022
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
Effective communication of critical lessons is essential to improve response to crises. This paper identifies what we know about how the sector communicates what it has learned to improve policy and practice. Humanitarians produce a wealth of research and knowledge. There is, however, little evidence on how to best communicate this knowledge to maximise its impact. This scoping paper is aimed at producers and communicators of humanitarian knowledge. It provides a brief overview of core concepts and existing literature related to communicating humanitarian learning. It identifies five useful findings: Change is complex: it takes time and often does not succeed. Documented evidence is a small contributor to change. Humanitarians prefer tacit, networked knowledge over documentation. Humanitarians access knowledge that is immediately relevant. National actors are not sufficiently included. The paper also outlines what the literature tells us about humanitarian preferences for how to communicate learning. It concludes by finding that those aiming to share documented learning to improve policy and practice are operating without a solid evidence base to guide them, and proposes a future research agenda to fill these evidence gaps.
Topic:
Humanitarian Aid, Communications, and Organizational Learning
Political Geography:
Global Focus

18. Lessons of lessons: A window into the evolution of the humanitarian sector

Author:
Jessica Alexander and Emmeline Kerkvliet
Publication Date:
09-2022
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
Monitoring and evaluation is critical for assessing performance and maintaining accountability in the humanitarian sector. For 25 years, ALNAP Lessons Papers have brought together findings and recommendations from a range of different contexts and disaster types, laying out lessons from previous responses in concise and readable ways. This paper looks at a selection of ALNAP Lessons papers across 20 years, aiming to identify where and how the humanitarian system has evolved over time, as well as the areas where progress has been weaker and stronger attention is still needed. It identifies four interesting trends: Structural, system-wide themes appear more frequently in the Lessons Papers. Lessons related to technical learning showed the most change from ‘observational’ to ‘instructional’ over time. Lessons related to structural and system-wide issues don’t change has much over time, staying more ‘observational’. Lessons related to localisation and community engagement and accountability (CEA) show least progress over time.
Topic:
Humanitarian Aid, Community Engagement, Planning, Monitoring, and and Evaluation (PME)
Political Geography:
Global Focus

19. Action Learning for Frontline Humanitarians: a resource pack

Author:
Jennifer Doherty, Amelie Sundberg, and Alice Obrecht
Publication Date:
11-2022
Content Type:
Course Pack
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
The knowledge of frontline staff – those directly involved in programme implementation and monitoring – is fundamental to good humanitarian action. These individuals make decisions and solve problems every day in their work with crisis-affected populations. The interactions they have with communities produce important information on how to implement projects most effectively to meet local needs. Decisions stemming from this experiential knowledge can be as valuable as decisions reached through more formal, explicit evidence. The pack is for programme staff who are implementing projects, staff in monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) roles who are collecting data and evaluating projects, and for team leaders or managers who work with them. Individuals, project teams or cross-organisational and inter-agency groups can all use this approach.
Topic:
Humanitarian Aid, Decision-Making, and Organizational Learning
Political Geography:
Global Focus

20. Learning to change: The case for systemic learning strategies in the humanitarian sector

Author:
John Mitchell and Ben Ramalingam
Publication Date:
12-2022
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
This paper presents the case for systemic organisational change in the humanitarian system. The paper firstly shows that that organisational learning has tended to reinforce existing ways of working and has not been able to shift a culture that values action over reflection. As a result, the rest of the paper asks about the most significant changes in the humanitarian sector and the contribution of learning. The paper explores four case studies on learning using a systems lens, which enables a more dynamic and holistic view of how learning actually works in the sector. The findings show that learning has indeed played a critical role in many key change efforts but has often not been part of wider organisational learning efforts. The paper’s conclusion suggests that the humanitarian sector needs to rethink its rationale and approach to learning; and that the research and explorations in the paper can underpin this approach. A number of steps are then proposed for how this may be taken forward.
Topic:
Humanitarian Aid and Organizational Learning
Political Geography:
Global Focus