Cheat Sheet: Analysing Systems Change Potential

By Maisie Jeffreys

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You can use the below as prompt questions to explore if your initiative, programme, strategy etc. has the potential to achieve systems change:

Understanding the System

1. Has the initiative/ strategy been designed with a good understanding of the system you are working in, and the root causes of the issue you’re trying to address?
2. Have community / lived-experience perspectives been meaningfully included in this understanding? 

Designing a the Initiative

3. Is the initiative/ strategy aiming to shift underlying conditions that create the problem – not just treating the symptoms?
4. Does the design of the initiative/ strategy consider both visible elements (e.g. humanitarian issues, services, structures, policies) and invisible ones (e.g. behavioural norms, cultural beliefs)
5. Does the initiative/ strategy consider how it can create change at multiple levels?
   1. Micro (individuals, families, community groups)
   2. Meso (organisations, institutions)
   3. Macro (policy, systems, wider society)
6. Are efforts connected or aligned across these levels?
7. Even if early steps are small, are they aligned with a bigger, longer-term shift in how things work?

Community Role

8. Are communities / those with lived-experience leading or shaping the initiative/ strategy – not just participating?
9. Does the initiative/ strategy redistribute power or create space for communities / those with lived-experience to influence decisions long-term?

Feedback

10. Is there a plan for learning, reflection, and adaptation as the system responds?