Outcome Harvesting is a M&E methodology used to identify, describe, verify and analyses the changes brought about by a campaign, support or advocacy initiative (see Better Evaluation or Winter School 2019 presentation by Outcome Mapping Learning Community). In Outcome Harvesting, one collects evidence of change (‘outcomes’ – e.g. changed policy, amended or stopped legislation processes, a new coalition formed, shifted voting behaviour) and then works backwards to assess contribution to that change. Please note that the change can also be a negative change, and/or the change cannot be linked to one’s own contributions but rather to those of other actors. It may be referred to as Outcome Mapping methodology. However, in Outcome Harvesting, there are also other methodologies used during the harvest process.

Outcome Harvesting collects evidence of what has changed and, then, working backwards, determines whether/how an intervention has contributed to these changes.

Outcome harvesting can be used for ongoing monitoring throughout a project or programme, in order to produce real-time information on change. It can also be used with evaluation or impact assessments during projects or programmes, at the end of a project, or some time after they have been completed. Outcome Harvesting involves participation with different stakeholders. According to Wilson-Grau (2015) participation is described by the methodology’s main developer as necessary for a successful outcome harvesting process and product. Moreover, it is considered most useful under three conditions (see Ricardo Wilson-Grau and Heather Britt 2012):

• Focus on outcomes rather than activities: It is not designed to assess whether activities were carried out according to plan, rather than assessing what has changed and why.
• Complex programming contexts: Outcome Harvesting is suitable for complex programming context where the relationship between the cause and the effects is not fully understood. Examples of complex situations could include in areas such as advocacy, mobilization, capacity development, empowerment or network development.
• Monitoring and evaluation: Outcome Harvesting can also be used when the purpose as an M&E exercise is to learn about the change and understanding why those changes occurred.

Please find more details on this platform of a community of practitioners of Outcome Harvesting as well as in the downloadable templates further down on this page.