Download Logic Model

Collaboration in Early Care and Education:
Establishing a Framework for a Research Agenda
Logic Model
Administration for Children and Families, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
The overall goal of a May 2010 meeting on collaboration in early care and education was to
construct a framework for research and evaluation regarding collaboration processes in early care
and education. Among the discussion topics, meeting participants discussed the development of a
logic model, although consensus was not reached regarding what one would look like. There was
agreement that a logic model could be constructed and would be useful to not only researchers and
evaluators but also to technical assistance providers and policy makers.
A logic model designed for this purpose should be a general model for state-level collaborative
efforts, but examples of inputs, outcomes, and the other common component of logic models should
be provided to help practitioners and researchers apply this model to different collaborative
efforts. The model should capture the idea that process variables can be both activities and
outcomes, depending on the goal of the collaboration. More than one model may be necessary to
capture the multiple levels of analyses.
This draft logic model was designed by the Administration for Children and Families to facilitate
research on and the evaluation of state-level collaborations. Increasingly, joint action at the policy
level is required to improve the delivery of services for families and children at the ground level. As
such, it is essential that we specify the logic behind this joint action, examine how this joint action,
generally in the form of collaboration, occurs, and whether this collaboration produces positive
outcomes at various levels of analysis.
Logic models are commonly designed to make evident the different activities, outcomes, and
theories embedded in some form of examined activity. Logic models can examine what goes into
the design and execution of a program or set of activities and what should be the desired outcomes
of the program or activities. The Kellogg Foundation defines a logic model as the following:
“the program logic model is defined as a picture of how your organization does its work – the
theory and assumptions underlying the program. A program logic model links outcomes (both
short- and long-term) with program activities/processes and the theoretical
assumptions/principles of the program” (W. K. Kellogg Foundation, 2004, 3).
There are different types of logic models, with the three most common being:
1. Theory Approach Models: focused on the theory of change embedded in the program, the
theory that structured the design of the program and should lead to particular outcomes.
These models illustrate “how and why you think your program will work” (W. K. Kellogg
Foundation, 9).
2. Outcomes Approach Models: these are focused on the early stages of program planning,
examining and thinking about how particular resources may connect to particular
outcomes. These models are often used in evaluation and reporting around programs (W. K.
Kellogg Foundation, 2004).
3. Activities Approach Models: these are really focused on the implementation process,
examining how the activities embedded in the program are operating, explicating “what you
will actually do in your community” (W. K. Kellogg Foundation, 10). These models are useful
for management planning activities to help better inform this process.
A logic model can be a tool designed to facilitate action, to help those involved in the design and
execution of a program to understand what is being done, to make changes when necessary, and to
form some kind of judgment about the overall execution of the program. A logic model can also help
visualize the theory of change underlying a program or set of activities, to understand the critical
leverage points that influence outcomes and assist researchers in understanding whether the
theory of change was appropriate for the examined effort. When considering a logic model as
applied to state-level collaborations for children and families, this logic model is focused on the
theory of change approach, highlighting what are the factors that contribute to effective
collaborative efforts at the state level and how those collaborative efforts could contribute to
outcomes at different levels, including the community and family level. As stated, for many of the
outcomes, these are presented in general terms to allow researchers to tailor this logic model to the
particular collaborative effort they are examining.
When considering a logic model for evaluating state-level collaborations, there are several
underlying assumptions that need to be explicated:
1. The actors involved in the state-level collaboration are policy-level agencies, those charged
with making policy about a set of services and providing resources to fund those services.
These actors will consistently be referred to as stakeholders throughout the model. These
stakeholders do need to send a designated agent to operate in the collaborative effort, but it
is the agency as a whole that is the stakeholder in the collaboration.
2. When we examine how the inputs to the collaboration are converted into the process, we are
assessing the quality of the process, how the process operated and whether the
stakeholders found it to be of high quality. We consider the collaboration to be effective
when it produces the desired outcomes, specified in components C, D, and E.
3. We also need to recognize that context matters—that the particular context in which the
collaboration is executed could influence both the process and the outcomes. Therefore,
moderators of the collaborative effort need to be measured. These moderators could
include such factors as the financial condition of the state, the political will of the
government, including whether the governor of the state or other key actors support (or
have made a priority) the programming underlying the collaborative efforts, and temporal
factors (such as election year).
The following are the different components of the logic model, with explanations of these
components:
A: Inputs to the Collaboration: This part of the logic model includes the design features required for
an effective collaboration in the initial construction of the collaboration. These inputs focus
primarily in internal design features to the initial collaboration and the inputs required from the
stakeholders for the start of the collaboration. Inputs include the following:
1. Stakeholder Inputs—these cover what is required by each stakeholder in joining the
collaboration in order for the participation to be meaningful and promote effective work in
the collaboration
2. Design Components—these include the initial design features required to get the
collaboration operating to accomplish its purpose. These include: roles and responsibilities,
with particular ones being facilitation and management of the collaboration, clear decisionmaking rules, an entrepreneur driving the process, workable number of stakeholders, clear
design of the meetings (agenda, clear schedule), and explicated purpose.
For further explanation, the facilitation and management roles could be held by the same or
different stakeholders. The management role involves keeping the collaborative effort
operating, coordinating meetings, and keeping records of the meetings and decisions made.
Facilitation involves (but is not limited to) such activities as making the collaborative
process operate smoothly, encouraging discussion at the meetings, and allowing each
stakeholder time to participate in the meetings. The entrepreneur driving the process is a
stakeholder who has taken up the purpose of the collaborative effort and is integral in
driving the process toward its successful conclusion.
In addition, the decision-making rules will vary depending on how the collaboration is
designed and what the stakeholders decide to value in the process. One such decisionmaking rule would be to agree to use common data to improve shared definitions of the
problem and to facilitate better decision-making. The key factor here is that the decisionmaking rules provide value for the stakeholders.
B: Process Components: This part of the logic model includes the generative design features that
arise through the operation of the collaboration (how the initial design structures are interpreted
and put to work in doing the collaborative business). The process components could be viewed as
the outcomes of the initial design process, but also as process measures that contribute to the
collaborative outcomes, depending on the structure of the collaborative effort. These components
indicate whether a quality process has been undertaken in the collaborative effort. The components
include the following:
1. Norms: ground rules that shape how the stakeholders interact—not decision rules, but
more rules for keeping the process operating appropriately
2. Inclusion: Stakeholders perceive that the parties who need to be at the table are present,
with a wide variety of viewpoints and interests represented.
3. Equality: Stakeholders perceive that all members have an equal opportunity to influence the
decision-making process.
4. Authenticity: Stakeholders perceive that the collaborative has the authority to make binding
decisions and that the process is not simply legitimating already made decisions.
5. Problem Focus: Stakeholders perceive that the collaborative was convened to impact root
problems and not simply political appeasement.
6. Support: Stakeholders perceive that the collaborative has the requisite informational,
financial, administrative, and political support to make meaningful decisions.
7. Identification: Stakeholders perceive the presence of a clear common identity they share as
members of the collaborative and are willing to balance the interests of their home
organizations with those of the collaborative. The stakeholders use shared language when
speaking about the issues being addressed by the collaboration, addressing issues rather
than specific programs. The stakeholders articulate common goals for the collaborative.
8. Generative purpose: how the stakeholders have come to understand the purpose of the
collaboration and how that shapes their actions
C: Collaborative Outcomes-State Level: This part of the logic model includes possible outcomes
from state level collaborations. These outcomes are designed broadly to encompass multiple
collaborative purposes. Outcomes include the following:
1. Changes to understandings of the policy problem—could include shared problem
definitions and policy learning and consensus around key data elements.
2. Reduction of fragmentation: funding, administration, paperwork
3. Increased adaptive capacity in the stakeholders: ability to look at problems with new
attention to innovation; building learning and innovativeness in the stakeholders.
4. Improved relationships and trust among the stakeholders.
5. Increased collaborative activity: this could include increased propensity to collaborate in
the future; more likely to engage in collaborations to solve “wicked problems” in the policy
field.
6. Access to new resources—could be measured at the policy field and/or stakeholder level
7. Changes to the stakeholder organizations—do they do their business differently as an effect
of having participated in the collaboration?
8. Increased political will—more support for the policy area
9. Accomplishment of the explicit goals of the collaboration—will depend on the explicit
purpose
D: Collaborative Outcomes-Service Delivery Level: This part of the logic model includes possible
outcomes at the community and/or service delivery. One of the overarching outcomes here would
be shared problem definitions and shared goals and desired outcomes for the set of services.
Depending on the goal of the particular state level collaboration, these variables could also include
measures geared toward strengthening the system of services in the community, improving the
ability of the providers to deliver particular services, including but not limited to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Reduction in fragmentation
Improved information sharing in common and measurable terms
Improved service coordination
Increased supply of providers, with these providers possessing higher quality staff and
programming
5. Fewer children and families not being served.
E: Collaborative Outcomes-Child and Family Level: This part of the logic model includes possible
outcomes at the child and family level. Depending on the goal of the particular state level
collaboration and the set of services, these variables could include measures geared toward
measuring changes in child well-being, family stability, and overall family well-being. In addition,
this could also include the ability to demonstrate better the outcomes in relation to the children and
family. It is one thing to be able to produce better outcomes, but stakeholders also need to be able
to demonstrate to policy makers and other political actors that these outcomes have been
produced. Therefore, improved ability to track outcomes around children and families, better data
collection, needs to be included at this level.
Reference:
W.K. Kellogg Foundation. 2004. Using Logic Models to Bring Together Planning, Evaluation, and
Action; Logic Model Development Guide. Battle Creek, MI: W. K. Kellogg Foundations.