Theory of Change for the Impact and Innovation Unit

[PPT version]

Introduction

Our Vision

Transforming the design and delivery of government policies, programs and services for greater and more sustainable impact on the lives of Canadians.

Background

The Impact and Innovation Unit (IIU) was established in November 2017 to help advance the integration of outcomes-based policy approaches into the design and delivery Government of Canada’s policies, programs and services.   

It builds off the work of its predecessor organization - the PCO’s Innovation Hub – leveraging the lessons learned from projects undertaken and meetings and conferences held to explore and test new and emerging innovations in public policy.

The IIU fulfills this purpose by:

•    Promoting policy innovation and experimentation
•    Supporting public sector leadership
•    Providing advice and support in the design and implementation of new outcomes-based funding approaches
•    Continuously and rigorously examining and sharing its progress and insights.

The IIU is committed to measuring its impact so that management and staff have the information needed to support evidence-based decision making in order to achieve better policy outcomes for Canadians and positive, social, environmental and economic return on federal investments.

The Context: Challenges

Addressing persistent, complex and pressing policy issues in new ways:

• Conventional approaches to addressing challenging public policy issues have not always achieved the results expected.
• Growing sentiment in Canada and worldwide that governments can and should produce better and more lasting outcomes for citizens.

Contending with fiscal pressures that demand an improved return on public sector investments:

• Government of Canada spends over $32 billion annually in grant and contribution funding to advance key priorities with more demands and needs than resources available.
• Governments have an imperfect understanding of the full impact of its spending on achieving results.

Changing citizen expectations of government with a desire to be more engaged and effective:

• There is a growing call by stakeholders from across all sectors for government to evolve from its traditional role of funder to that of an engaged partner and collaborator.

Integrating new tools and technologies for public benefit:

• There are new tools and technologies emerging that can improve problem analyses, more effectively support collaboration, assess investment opportunities and spending decisions, and improve the productivity of the public service hence improving the quality of service to Canadians. These tools have been underutilized to date.

The Context: Opportunities

Global advances in public policy innovation and outcomes-based policy approaches:

• A number of countries have put in place mechanisms (e.g. funds and intermediary support organizations) to support experimentation, to collaborate with partners and to improve impact on a larger scale.

Growing interest across all levels of government in outcomes-oriented approaches and strengthening evidence-based decision making:

• At federal level, the IIU is one of a number of players that is advancing and supporting experimentation, more rigorous approaches to evaluation, and examining barriers to the implementation of innovation and outcomes-based policy approaches.
• In November 2017, Clerks and Cabinet Secretaries from F/P/T governments signed the Declaration of Public Sector Innovation committing to work together to find new and inventive ways to solve the challenges that Canadians face.

Opportunities identified in budget announcements, mandate letters, and other stated priorities in support of innovation and experimentation:

• Departments and agencies must devote a fixed percentage of program funds to experimenting with new.
• The Minister of Indigenous Services is mandated to work with the IIU and across government to co-create new and meaningful partnership models with Indigenous communities and civil society partners.
• Infrastructure Canada, Natural Resources Canada and other departments with interest and capacity will work through the IIU’s Impact Canada Initiative as per commitments set out in Budget 2017.

What is a Theory of Change?

Theory of Change versus Logic Model

A Theory of Change and a Logic Model are closely connected but are not the same.

Theory of Change Overview

Changing the way government designs and delivers policies, programs and services.

Our Approach to Realizing Change

The IIU's Theory of Change combines four major efforts to help the federal public service develop, use and learn from outcomes-based policy approaches:

• Engaging public service leadership and supporting the development of competent, knowledgeable and motivated public servants will help grow the design and delivery of outcomes-based policy approaches and other relevant innovations.
• Showcasing excellence in co-creation design approaches and collaborative implementation will help grow and direct interest in outcomes-based policy approaches as well as encourage replication and scaling of successful initiatives.
• Using a range of evaluative approaches, setting high standards for rigorous impact measurement, and utilizing new analytical technologies will lead to an increase the availability and use of evidence to inform decision making related to policy, program and service development, design and delivery.
• Communicating, engaging and building relationships in an open and transparent manner within and external to the public service is a foundational component of supporting the type of public service change desired. Successes and shortcomings must be part of the policy narrative with a focus on continuous improvement through experimentation and adaptive leadership.

Our Guiding Principles

Partnership – We believe that to solve today’s societal challenges, federal departments and agencies cannot do it alone. We are, therefore, dedicated to working in partnership with those who are ready, willing, and open to better understand the systemic challenges and the promising opportunities before us. The IIU’s contribution will be one of many.

Co-Creation - In support of meaningful partnerships, comes our commitment to the co-creation of solutions beginning with collectively analyzing the issues, challenges and opportunities. Our co-creation process starts from the experience of each partner and strives to discover new modes of interaction and governance that will improve the experience for all partners.

Citizen-Centred - Canadians are the ultimate beneficiaries of the innovations and experimentation in policy development and delivery processes. We are, therefore, committed to putting their interests, experiences and perspectives at the centre of the co-creation process. In this regard, we commit to culturally, contextually and historically sensitive approaches in our efforts.

Evidence-Based and Methodologically Driven - We use well-accepted, rigorous methodological approaches to inform policy design in all stages of the policy development process from ascertaining whether a particular issue is well suited for innovation or experimentation to monitoring the change process to measuring its impact and potential to be scaled up or out.  

Openness and Transparency - Timely sharing of lessons learned and results - whether the project achieved its expected results or not - informs other initiatives and will help to drive the diffusion and scaling of innovation initiatives system-wide. In this regard, we are committed to be open and transparent in all that we do so that others can benefit from our successes and leverage the lessons that we are learning along the way.

Theory of Change

Focus and Scope

Strategic Approaches and Key Interventions

Overview: Theory of Change by Key Component.

Engaging Leadership

Overview:

• Reach public servants who have the power and influence to affect change at organizational and institutional levels
• Targeted at individuals within the public service (executives, management and staff) and external to it (experts, researchers, academics, private sector and non-profit/charitable sector)

Testing Outcomes-based Policy Approaches

Overview:

• Testing outcomes-based approaches in a range of policy domains to demonstrate “proof of concept”
• Pursue policy priorities reflective of the Government’s current focus: Clean Tech, Smart Communities, Indigenous issues and opioids

Strengthening the Evidence-base

Overview:

• Improving the availability and use of evidence to inform innovative policy design, implementation and experimentation
• Advocating and supporting rigorous impact measurement and evaluation

Engagement and Communication

Overview:

• Increase awareness of outcomes-based policy approaches and promote exchange of ideas in areas of common interest among interested stakeholders
• Promote openness and transparency in all IIU efforts through partner engagement, decision-making and communications

Theory of Change in Action

Monitoring progress and confirming theory

Approach