Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA)

AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING

Disclaimer: This report was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
It was prepared by the LEARN mechanism out of the USAID Office of Learning, Evaluation and Research (LER) in the
Bureau for Policy, Planning and Learning (PPL). LEARN is managed by Dexis Consulting Group.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Background about Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting at USAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
About the Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Key Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Implications and Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Endnotes (Executive Summary only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

II. Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Guiding Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
About the Research Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Case Selection and Description of Dataset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Data Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Verification and Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

III. Key Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

CLA Practices and Approaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
How do CLA approaches map to the CLA framework? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
What CLA practices and approaches are found in the cases? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
What resources are needed for CLA? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Linking CLA Approaches to Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Finding 1: Collaboration Leverages Resources for Collective Benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Finding 2: Local Engagement Leads to Local Ownership and, Ultimately, Improved Development Outcomes . . . 25
Finding 3: Intentional Knowledge Management Generates Standard Good Practices for Broader Application . . . 27
Finding 4: Feedback Loops Increase the Likelihood that Evidence Will Inform Decision-Making . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Finding 5: CLA Begets CLA and Sometimes Leads to Scale-Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

IV. Implications and Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

For USAID and Implementing Partner Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
For Future Case Competition Analyses and Areas of Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Web Resources (in order of appearance) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Annex 1: Case Competition Judging Rubric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Annex 2: CLA Case Competition Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Annex 3: Detailed Case Coding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Annex 4: Emergent Findings Coding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 2
PREFACE

Background About Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting at USAID

In 2012, USAID’s Bureau for Policy, Planning and Learning (PPL) introduced the concept of collaborating, learning, and
adapting (CLA) at USAID to operationalize adaptive management throughout USAID’s Program Cycle. CLA—USAID’s
approach to improving organizational learning—is intended to help development partners address challenges that
pervade international development assistance:
• Coordination among donors and implementers is lacking, resulting in missed opportunities for greater impact
• Development is donor-driven, rather than country-led or community-owned
• Data and evidence that could inform programming are not utilized
• Outdated practices are used despite evidence of ineffectiveness
• Programming is not relevant to the local context
• Donors and implementing partners stick to existing plans and implementation approaches even as the context changes

While these challenges are widely acknowledged, USAID staff and implementing partners face significant demands on
time, limited resources, and a need to show immediate results; collaborating, learning, and adapting thus can be difficult
to integrate into how we design and manage development assistance.

The CLA framework promotes the use of key practices throughout the Program Cycle to overcome these challenges:
• Collaborating: Are we collaborating with the right partners at the right time to promote synergy over siloed efforts?
• Learning: Are we asking the most important questions and finding answers that are relevant to decision-making?
• Adapting: Are we using the information that we gather through collaboration and learning activities to make better
decisions and adjustments?
• Enabling Conditions: Are we working in an organizational environment that supports our collaborating, learning, and
adapting efforts?

About the Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting Framework

While the practices of collaborating, learning, and adapting have long been valued by USAID and international develop-
ment partners, they often do not happen regularly or systematically and are not intentionally resourced. To address
this, USAID’. Bureau of Policy, Planning and Learning (PPL) and its support mechanism, The Learning and Knowledge
Management mechanism (LEARN), developed a Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) framework to help
USAID missions and implementing partners think more deliberately about how to plan for and implement CLA approaches
that fit their context and assist them in achieving their development objectives.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 3
FIGURE 1. CLA framework supports implementation of USAID’s Program Cycle.

The CLA framework (above, right; see also USAID Learning Lab for a larger version) identifies components and
subcomponents to help USAID staff and partners think more deliberately about what approach to CLA might be best
tailored to organizational or programming contexts. The framework recognizes the diversity of what CLA can look like
in various organizations and projects while also giving CLA structure, clarity, and coherence across two key dimensions:
• CLA in the Program Cycle (portion shaded in red): how CLA is incorporated throughout the Program Cycle,
including strategy, project, and activity design and implementation.
• Enabling Conditions (portion shaded in dark blue): how an organization’s culture, business processes, and resource
allocation can support CLA integration.

Organizations need both integrated CLA practices appropriate for their context and conducive enabling conditions to
become stronger learning organizations capable of managing adaptively. The framework stresses the holistic and integrated
nature of the various components of CLA to reinforce the principle that CLA is not a separate work stream—it should
be integrated into existing processes to strengthen the discipline of development and improve aid effectiveness.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 4
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
This analysis is part of a broader area of work known as the Evidence Base for Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting
(EB4CLA) effort spearheaded by USAID’s Bureau for Policy, Planning and Learning (PPL) and its support mechanism,
The Learning and Knowledge Management mechanism (LEARN). Each year, through the CLA Case Competition, PPL
and LEARN invite USAID missions and implementing partners from across the globe to submit examples of collaborating,
learning, and adapting approaches that add value to development programming. In 2015, 60 USAID missions and
implementing partners sent in case stories for review. Judges from PPL and LEARN selected 6 winners, but also recognized
that the collection provided an exciting opportunity to look across cases and synthesize patterns of learning about
CLA that would be applicable to wider USAID, implementing partner, and donor audiences.

This CLA Case Competition Analysis explores examples of CLA in action, among USAID and its implementing
partners, and provides answers to these key questions:
• Does an intentional, systematic, and resourced approach to collaborating, learning, and adapting contribute to
development outcomes?
• If so, how? And under what conditions?1

To answer those questions, we looked to the case stories and asked the following:
• What CLA practices and approaches are found in the cases?
• How did those practices and approaches contribute to organizational change or development outcomes?
• What are the implications of learning for USAID staff, implementing partners, and development practitioners?

Methods
The research team consisted of three LEARN staff with extensive experience in evaluation, applied research, and
CLA practice in development programs. The team designed the qualitative analysis to highlight common themes and
patterns of CLA in action across the 32 highest rated cases in the 2015 CLA case competition. The 32 cases each
received ratings of 12 points or higher (out of a possible 18 points) by the judges’ panel and scored at least two out of
three possible points on criteria of clarity, analysis, completeness, creativity, and replicability. Nine cases came from
USAID missions and 23 from implementing partners. The majority of submissions focused on livelihoods (28 percent)
and health (25 percent) sector projects and represented CLA approaches in more than 21 countries in 4 regions
(Latin America, Africa, Middle East, and South Asia).

The researchers used two data analysis approaches in this study. First, to address the question, “What CLA practices
and approaches are found in the cases?” they thematically coded CLA practices and approaches based on the CLA
framework. Second, to identify and describe patterns and themes related to, “How did CLA approaches contribute to
organizational change and development outcomes?” they conducted inductive coding of the sequence of events leading
to the specific outcomes for each case.

Reliability was enhanced through independent coding and analysis among the three researchers and the transparency
afforded by using computer-assisted qualitative analysis software (NVivo). However, the researchers could not control

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 5
for potential biases in the self-reported cases, or the uneven quality and quantity of information provided. Despite these
significant limitations five significant findings emerged.

Key Findings
Our analysis found key findings for each of the research questions.

What CLA practices and approaches are found in the cases?

The cases showed that applicants took a holistic approach to launching their CLA initiatives. In each case, practitioners
incorporated CLA in some aspect of the Program Cycle, including strategy, project, activity design, and implementation
as well as organizational culture, business processes, and/or resource allocation to support CLA integration. This nascent
finding corroborates the intent behind the CLA framework: organizations need both CLA practices appropriate for their
context and conducive enabling conditions to become stronger learning organizations capable of managing adaptively.

How did those practices and approaches contribute to organizational change or development outcomes?

The analysis revealed five overarching patterns that demonstrate how CLA practices and approaches can contribute to
specific development or organizational outcomes. The first four of these key findings are consistent with evidence from
a review of academic and gray literature. Additional research, including further CLA case analyses and triangulated data
sources and methods, can help test and refine each of these findings.
1. Finding 1: Collaboration leverages resources for collective benefit. The cases shaping this finding articulate how
collaboration helps development actors to identify their respective comparative advantages and jointly achieve a
mutual, targeted outcome. This is consistent with evidence from studies of private sector and philanthropic organiza-
tions that highlight the collective benefits that collaboration and strategic partnerships can have both for participating
organizations and the community issues they address.2
2. Finding 2: Local engagement leads to local ownership and, ultimately, improved development outcomes. When
implementing partners invite local stakeholders to actively participate in development processes, they become agents
of their own change process and are motivated to achieve the desired development outcomes. This is consistent
with literature on “thinking politically,” “politically smart,” and “locally driven development.”3
3. Finding 3: Intentional knowledge management generates standard good practices for broader application. The
cases comprising this finding underline how capturing knowledge and sharing best practices derived from that
knowledge can contribute to improvements at the organizational level. This is consistent with literature that shows
that organizations that can maintain and transfer knowledge are more likely to be successful.4
4. Finding 4: Feedback loops increase the likelihood that evidence will inform decision-making. Teams and organizations
analyze learning, make decisions based on that learning and then follow through on decisions reached. The cases
illustrating this finding also describe how specific tools and processes for creating feedback loops provide continuous
learning to inform decision-making. This is consistent with literature that finds that adaptive management requires an
agile and enabling culture that helps organizations use rapid feedback loops to continuously and efficiently process
and build on new information to achieve overall goals. 5
5. Finding 5: CLA begets CLA and sometimes leads to scale-up: Some cases highlight how personally experiencing a
CLA approach can lead to increased CLA uptake among staff within an organization and thereby lead to potentially
improved organizational and/or development outcomes. Other cases show that there is a “demonstration effect”
when development stakeholders learn about the benefits of a successful CLA approach implemented by another
actor, and they then adapt this approach and scale it up in their own context. Currently, the literature review has not
uncovered evidence corroborating this finding, but the research team feels this finding is promising as ten cases share
the same pattern.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 6
Implications and Considerations
Findings from this analysis have important implications for decision-making and project management for both USAID
staff and implementing partners.
1. Start with key priorities, but work toward establishing a more balanced approach to integrating CLA within
programs and organizations. The consistent finding across cases that effective CLA was integrated into both the
Program Cycle side of the framework (i.e., design and implementation of strategies, projects, activities) as well as
the Enabling Conditions side (i.e., organizational culture, business processes, resource allocation) suggests that
CLA components overlap, work together, and mutually reinforce one another. In establishing their CLA practices,
USAID staff and implementing partners should start where they are and focus on key priorities, with a view over
time to building toward a CLA approach that integrates both sides of the framework.
2. Investing in CLA bears results. But are we willing to invest? The cases clearly illustrate how investing in CLA
practices and approaches provides a range of valuable contributions to organizational change and development
outcomes and suggests that USAID staff and implementing partners should protect and in many cases, expand
investments in CLA integration.
3. Work with local actors to facilitate, rather than create, development. The cases showcase how CLA promotes
local engagement and ownership and ultimately affects the success of development programming. These findings
indicate the value of integrating CLA as part of a facilitative approach with local actors to enhance the sustainability
of development results.
4. Create opportunities for others to experience and learn about effective collaborating, learning, and adapting, at
the individual, team, and organizational levels. Cases in Finding #5 above suggest that “experiencing is believing”
- meaning those who experience CLA are more likely to integrate CLA into how they operate. If this finding holds
true, current CLA champions who create effective collaborating, learning, and adapting opportunities may be able to
attract others to try these approaches. Other cases from Finding #5 show that when stakeholders learn about
positive outcomes linked to a CLA approach in another organization, they adapted the approach to their context.
This means that by effectively modeling CLA, organizations may more credibly share their benefits with other
development actors and inspire them to integrate CLA into their own work.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 7
Endnotes (Executive Summary only)
1. For more information on EB4CLA deliverables, please see this resource: https://usaidlearninglab.org/lab-notes/what-difference-
does-collaborating-learning-and-adapting-make-development-key-findings
2. Kania, J. & Kramer, M. (2011). “Collective impact”. Stanford Social Innovation Review. https://ssir.org/articles/entry/collective_impact;
Gemmel, L. (Ed.) (2014); “Collective Impact Edition”. Philanthropist 26(1). http://www.collaborationforimpact.com/wp-content/
uploads/2014/07/The-Philanthropist-Vol-26-No-1-2014.pdf; Todeva, E. & Knokes, D. (2005). “Strategic Alliances and Models of
Collaboration.” Management Decision, Vol 43(1) http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/1967/1/fulltext.pdf
3. Faustino, J. and Booth, D., “Development entrepreneurship: How donors and leaders can foster institutional change,” Working
Politically in Practice Series, Case Study No. 2. London: The Asia Foundation and ODI (2014); ODI Research reports and Studies,
“Politically smart support to economic development,” March 2016; Booth, D., “Thinking and Working Politically,” GSDRC Professional
Development Reading Pack No. 13. Birmingham, UK: University of Birmingham (2015); Drew, R., “Learning in Partnership: What
constitutes learning in the context of south-north partnerships?” BOND Discussion Paper. London: British Overseas NGOs for
Development (2002).
4. Bubwolder, Peter, and Basse, Felix. (2016). An Empirical Study of the Effect of Knowledge Management on Ramp-Up Performance
in the SME Sector. RWTH Aachen University, Germany.
5. Managing Complexity: Adaptive management at Mercy Corps https://d2zyf8ayvg1369.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/
Adaptive%20management%20paper_external.pdf; Valters, C., Cummings, C., and Nixon, H., “Putting learning at the centre:
Adaptive development programming in practice,” ODI report (2016); Allan, C., and Curtis, A., “Nipped in the Bud: Why Regional
Scale Adaptive Management Is Not Blooming,” Environmental Management, Volume 36, Issue 3 (09/2005); Jones, l., “Towards a
Holistic Conceptualization of Adaptive Capacity at the Local Level: Insights from the Local Adaptive Capacity Framework,” ODI,
March 2011.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 8
I. INTRODUCTION

While the CLA framework and associated CLA Maturity tool have helped further explain what collaborating,
learning, and adapting are and look like in a USAID context, USAID/PPL and LEARN are often asked by stakeholders,
“but what does CLA look like on the ground?” The question is particularly relevant in the wake of USAID’s 2016
Program Cycle Operational Policy (ADS Chapter 201), which emphasizes the importance of CLA to operationalizing
adaptive management through the Program Cycle. The policy requires USAID missions to establish CLA plans and
encourages missions to think more systematically and intentionally about how CLA can support the achievement of
development results.

To help answer the question of what CLA “looks like,” USAID/PPL and LEARN established the annual CLA Case
Competition, which invites USAID staff and implementing partners to share their experiences applying CLA approaches
in their programming. In 2015, 60 USAID missions and implementing partners sent in case stories for review (three were
disqualified). Judges from PPL and LEARN selected 6 winners and 19 additional finalists from the 57 entries.

Many of these cases provide excellent examples of CLA in action, showcasing approaches that added value to team and
organizational performance and development outcomes. This study offers an exciting opportunity to look across cases
to identify patterns and synthesize learning about CLA to help inform practice within the wider USAID, implementing
partner, and donor communities.

This analysis was designed to look across cases in the 2015 case competition and synthesize learning about CLA
practices and approaches, as well as their contributions to organizational change and development outcomes. It was
designed to help USAID staff and implementing partners who may be curious about the range and effects of CLA
practices and approaches as well as those who seek better understandings of how CLA can support their work.

The analysis is also part of a broader area of work known as the evidence base for CLA (EB4CLA) spearheaded by
USAID/PPL and LEARN. The purpose of EB4CLA is to answer key learning questions: Does an intentional, systematic
and resourced approach to collaborating, learning, and adapting contribute to development outcomes? If so, how? And
under what conditions? See this resource for additional information on other EB4CLA deliverables.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 9
II. METHODS

Guiding Questions
This analysis asked the following questions:
• What CLA practices and approaches are found in the cases?
• How did those practices and approaches contribute to organizational change or development outcomes?
• What are the implications for USAID staff, implementing partners, and development practitioners?

About the Research Team

The research team consisted of three LEARN staff with extensive experience in evaluation, applied research, and CLA
practice in development programs. Team leader Kristin Lindell, a monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning specialist
with expertise in evaluating development programming and field experience integrating CLA into development activities,
designed the analysis and oversaw all phases of the coding, analysis, and writing. Monalisa Salib, co-creator of the CLA
Maturity Tool and Organizational Learning Manager, also conducted coding and analysis for all phases of the study and
advised on the application of the CLA Maturity Tool to cases, determining findings, and research implications. Ilana
Shapiro, senior research advisor with considerable experience in applied research and evaluation, advised on research
methods and participated in coding and analysis.

Case Selection and Description of Dataset

A panel of seven PPL and LEARN judges reviewed and assigned each case a score of up to 18 points based on clarity,
analysis, completeness, creativity, and replicability.1

For this analysis, the researchers initially selected the 36 highest-rated cases, representing slightly more than the top half
of the competition dataset. These cases all received ratings of 12 points or higher by the judges’ panel and scored at
least two out of three possible points in each of the rating criteria. In a preliminary review for this analysis, however,
the researchers realized that four of the 36 cases had to be dropped because they did not contain sufficient information
to assess their CLA approach (they were storyboards designed for videos and contained less detail than the written
submissions). A total of 32 cases were included in the final case competition analysis.

All cases were self-reports written by USAID staff or implementing partners. In 2,700 words or less, each case
addressed the following questions:
• What is the general context in which the story takes place?
• What was the main challenge/opportunity you were addressing with this CLA approach or activity?
• Please describe the CLA approach or activity employed.
• Were there any special considerations during implementation (e.g., necessary resources or enabling factors)?
• What have been the outcomes, results, or impacts of the activity or approach to date?
• What were the most important lessons learned?
• Is there any other critical information you’d like to share?

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 10
Of the 32 cases, 9 cases (28 percent) came from missions and 23 cases (72 percent) came from implementing partners.
The majority of submissions focused on livelihoods (28 percent) and health (25 percent) sector projects (Figure 2).
They included projects using CLA approaches in more than 21 countries in 4 regions (Latin America, Africa, Middle
East, and South Asia). Uganda sent in the most cases (6 cases), followed by Ethiopia (Figure 2).

FIGURE 2. Health and Livelihoods sectors account for more than 50 percent of case submissions.

Other
19%

Livelihoods
28%
Peace Building &
Governance
6%
Humanitarian
Relief
Health
9% 25%

Integrated
Development
13%

FIGURE 3. This analysis included CLA cases from over 21 countries.

Western Africa
Carribean
9%
3%

Southern Africa
10% Eastern Africa
44%
South Asia
13%
Sahel
3%
Latin America
6%
Multiple Regions
6%
Middle East
6%

Data Analysis
To address the study’s questions, the researchers used two data analysis approaches:
• Thematic coding of CLA practices and approaches based on the CLA framework
• Inductive coding of key findings and events chains for each case to identify how CLA approaches contributed to
organizational change and development outcomes.

Thematic Coding to CLA Framework: In the first round of analysis, the researchers applied the CLA framework
to assess, “what CLA practices and approaches are found in the cases? ” They uploaded the 32 case competition
narratives into NVivo, a computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software and thematically coded case activities
by the 6 components and 16 subcomponents of the CLA framework (version 7).

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 11
FIGURE 4. CLA framework, including components, subcomponents, and key concepts.

CLA in the Program Cycle Enabling Conditions

Collaborating Learning Adapting Culture Processes Resources

Internal Technical Evidence Pause & Reflect Openness Knowledge Cycle Mission Resources
Collaboration Base & Sources
1. Variety and purpose 1. Sense of comfort 1. Roles & responsibilities
1. Identify & prioritize 1. Track the evidence of pause & reflect in sharing opinions 1. Source various types vis-a-vis CLA
key operating units base opportunities and ideas of knowledge from 2. Professional
2. Decide how to engage 2. Apply the evidence 2. Timeliness of 2. Openness to hearing stakeholders development for CLA
key operating units base in planning and pause and reflect alternative perspectives 2. Distill knowledge 3. CLA Support contract
3. Collaborate with key implementation opportunities to 3. Willingness to take 3. Share knowledge
operating units based 3. Contribute to / expand inform decision-making action on new ideas with stakeholders
on decisions reached the evidence base 3. Quality of pause &
reflect opportunities

External Theories of Change Application Relationship-Building Institutional Memory CLA in Implementing

Collaboration Mechanisms
1. Quality of theories 1. Surface learning during 1. Relationship strength 1. Knowledge
1. Identify & prioritize of change pause & reflect 2. Communication management systems 1. Mechanism type and
key stakeholders 2. Testing & exploration opportunities 3. Situational awareness 2. Staff transitions scope enables CLA
2. Decide how to engage of theories of change 2. Inform decision-making 3. Contributions of 2. Budgeting
key stakeholders 3. Awareness among 3. Follow through on Foreign Service 3. Staff composition
3. Collaborate with key stakeholders about decisions reached Nationals to and skills
stakeholders based on theories of change and institutional memory
decisions reached the learning that results
from testing them

Game Changers & Continuous Learning Decision-Making

Scenario Planning & Improvement
1. Decision-making
1. Identify game changers 1. Staff take time for processes
& plan scenarios learning & reflection 2. Decision-making
2. Monitor game 2. Align individual and authority
changers & scenarios organizational 3. Sharing information
3. Respond to and learning objectives about and rationale
apply learning from 3. Use iterative for decisions made
monitoring approaches that
enable continuous
improvement

M&E for Learning

1. Relevance of
monitoring data to
decision-making
2. Design & conduct
evaluations to inform
programming
3. Align M, E, & L efforts
across strategy, project,
and activity levels

For example, in USAID/Malawi’s Experiment in Integration to Foster Collaboration and Improve Programmatic
Decision-Making, the mission convened stakeholders to reflect on whether or not their updated work plans were
maximally integrated. To code this portion of the case, the researchers highlighted the section documenting the action
and labeled it as “Pause & Reflect” (subcomponent) within the “Adapting” component of the CLA framework. This
narrative was also coded as “External Collaboration” as various stakeholders convened to revisit work plans.

Case activities often included multiple CLA components and subcomponents. To improve accuracy and reliability05/16
in V6
coding, two researchers with expertise and experience using the CLA framework coded and reviewed each case.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING FRAMEWORK & KEY CONCEPTS12

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING
Finally, codes were converted and imported into STATA, a quantitative data analysis program, to determine frequency
counts and explore relationships among subcomponents in the CLA framework. Findings about the most commonly
occurring subcomponents, as well as patterns of use among implementing partners and missions, technical sectors,
impact level, and resources, are described in Section III.

Inductive Coding for Emerging Findings: To better understand how CLA practices and approaches contributed to
organizational change or development outcomes, researchers used a general inductive analysis approach to examine
the emerging findings and events chains in each case.2 Because few case authors articulated clear results chains
related to CLA, the researchers coded each case narrative to develop an activity and results chain that identified
underlying assumptions about how change happened.3 Three researchers then independently looked across case
patterns and chains to identify and describe emerging patterns and themes of how CLA contributed to organizational
and development outcomes. Finally, they worked together to compare identified patterns across their respective
analyses, and combined, modified, and refined the findings to best represent agreed upon findings (see Linking CLA
Approaches to Outcomes section below.)

Verification and Limitations

While each CLA case was context specific, the analysis across multiple cases supported analytical generalizations about
how CLA was used and its contributions to organizational or development outcomes. Independent coding and analysis
of data by 2–3 researchers helped offset researcher bias and improve reliability. In addition, the use of a qualitative
data analysis program (NVivo) helped enhance reliability by supporting more transparent and consistent coding, careful
record-keeping, and a clear decision trail of interpretation.

The robustness of this analysis, however, ultimately relies on the accuracy and detail provided in the cases. Uneven
reporting; authors’ diverse understandings of collaborating, learning, and adapting; and the wide range of activities/
projects and contexts included created limitations in cross-case comparisons. In addition, this study was a secondary
analysis of cases written for a different purpose (i.e., the case competition) that addressed questions different from
those posed by this analysis. For example, the research team used the CLA framework for analysis, but the case narratives
did not address the framework.

In addition, the researchers did not have access to data beyond the self-reported cases for this analysis and could not
verify claims about CLA practices or activity/project outcomes in the cases. The competition may have created incentives
for authors to exaggerate or overemphasize their CLA approaches or contributions to organizational or development
outcomes. Further, all cases showcased the positive effects of CLA (no cases reported on negative outcomes for CLA),
so the sample analyzed in this report may represent a biased view of CLA approaches and their benefits. Finally, very
few of the cases had baseline data, counterfactuals (e.g., comparison cases where CLA approaches were not used),
or meaningful data related to impact on broader development outcomes. The researchers could not control for these
biases and data limitations.

Despite these limitations, the findings from this analysis provide useful examples of the range of CLA practices and
approaches and offer important insights about how CLA contributes to organizational change and development outcomes.
The findings and subsequent implications can help support USAID staff, implementing partners, and others in the fields
of organizational learning and international development as they integrate CLA approaches into their work.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 13
III. KEY FINDINGS

CLA Practices and Approaches

This section answers the key question: What CLA practices and approaches are found in the cases? It starts by providing
examples of CLA approaches from the cases mapped to the CLA framework and then concludes with a discussion of
common patterns found in the CLA approaches and concludes with a discussion of what resources are needed for CLA.

How do CLA approaches map to the CLA framework?

The 14 cases summarized below illustrate concrete and exemplary examples of how the 2015 submissions incorporated
CLA into their work. These examples aim to underscore the connection between one specific CLA subcomponent and
the development or management challenge it helped solve. However, due to the holsistic nature of the framework, each
case could potentially be mapped to multiple subcomponents.4

FIGURE 5. CLA Framework.

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AP E
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P au

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us ov
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uo pr
t in I m
Enablin

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E v id h n i c a l C
ledge
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PROCESSES

as e a n a ge
LE A R N I N G

Collaborating, M
g Conditions

Theories of Change Learning Institutional

ng & Adapting Memory
Scen ario Planni Framework De c
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ea r nin - Ma
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CLA

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COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 14
 COLLABORATING
COLLABORATING: USAID encourages development actors to collaborate with the right partners at the right time to promote
synergy over stove piping. The aim is not merely more collaboration. Rather, the goal is to think more strategically about collaboration
—who should we be collaborating with, why, and what form should it take? These cases illustrate systematic, intentional, and resourced
approaches to collaborating with both internal and external stakeholders.

EXTERNAL COLLABORATION: Cross-Border Vaccinations in the Horn of Africa (Case #41)

Collaborating with external actors in a systematic and intentional way means working with other donors, local governments,
organizations, communities, and individuals that we support share a similar goal. External collaboration also requires us to take a
facilitative approach, which focuses on creating broad, systemic change without a direct intervention.

WHY A CLA APPROACH WAS NEEDED: A polio outbreak CLA APPROACH USED: CGPP convened civil society,
occurred in 2013 in unstable border areas of the Horn of Africa in-country, and such international actors as UNICEF and the
plagued by regional conflicts, terrorist activities, and subsequent World Health Organization to coordinate efforts to stop the
displacement. The CORE Group Polio Project (CGPP), identified spread of cross-border poliovirus. At regular meetings, partners
cross-border transmission as a significant risk and set out to discussed needs, identified possible responses, and worked to
tackle the spread of polio in the region. implemented the activities.

INTERNAL (AND EXTERNAL) COLLABORATION: USAID/Malawi’s Experiment in Integration (Case #28)

Internal collaboration asks us to identify and prioritize other teams or offices within our organizations for strategic collaboration, decide
how to engage with these teams or offices, and work together with these teams/offices based on decisions reached.

WHY A CLA APPROACH WAS NEEDED: After nearly a half- CLA APPROACH USED: USAID/Malawi piloted an integrated
century of foreign aid in Malawi, traditional, siloed approaches approach that included both technical and operational integration.
to development have yielded limited positive impact. USAID/ It was operationalized via the “3 Cs” approach—co-___location,
Malawi realized a change in approach was necessary and asked Coordination, and Collaboration—which established systems
itself, “if the mission changed the way it worked, could it to better share information across technical offices and
achieve better, more sustainable results?” implementing partners and developed processes for joint
planning, monitoring, and implementation of activities.

LEARNING
LEARNING: USAID’s focus on learning looks at the extent to which development actors are asking the most important questions
and finding answers that are relevant to decision making. Strategic learning within the CLA framework focuses on: (1) Tracking, using,
and contributing to the technical evidence base; (2) Testing and exploring our theories of change; (3) Scenario planning;4 and
(4) Ensuring our monitoring and evaluation supports learning. These case competition examples from 2015 illustrate systematic,
intentional, and resourced approaches to learning:

TECHNICAL EVIDENCE BASE: USAID/Colombia Introduces Political Economy Analysis (Case #25)
Our technical evidence base includes all relevant knowledge—USAID-specific, academic, or other local and international research,
studies, and reports—that is available on a given topic or context. Effective learning happens when we consistently track and use
relevant, technical knowledge to inform planning and implementation.

WHY A CLA APPROACH WAS NEEDED: Aware that CLA APPROACH USED: USAID/Colombia performed a
residents hold the richest knowledge about their communities Political Economy Analysis (PEA) to identify local actors and
and countries, USAID/Colombia still lacked a standard process their incentives as well as to inform peacebuilding initiatives
to gather information about the country’s political economy. and other activities implemented through the mission.
To allocate resources more effectively and ultimately increase
impact in their programs, USAID/Colombia needed to engage
and gather information from local and regional actors in a more
systematic way.

THEORIES OF CHANGE: Realigning Strategy to Respond to Market Realities: Agricultural Inputs in Uganda (Case #53)
Our theories of change dictate our program design and provide the rationale for why and what we implement. Effective learning
happens when we consistently test and explore clearly articulated, high-quality theories of change that are based on evidence, logical,
and relevant to the context in which we operate. We can test and explore our theories of change through a variety of learning
activities, including assessments, evaluations, collecting monitoring data, and by gathering the experiential knowledge of our staff,
partners, and communities affected by our work.

WHY A CLA APPROACH WAS NEEDED: Halfway through CLA APPROACH USED: After reviewing the assessment and
the Feed the Future Uganda Agriculture Inputs Activity, comparing it with program assumptions, leaders of the activity
management commissioned a strategic assessment to understand developed a new theory of change. The updated theory of
whether the activity was progressing toward the goal of change then fed into a collaborative process of strategic,
improving the country’s agriculture inputs system. The tactical, and organizational realignment to test and explore
assessment revealed flaws in the activity’s assumptions. the updated theory of change.

M&E FOR LEARNING: Putting Communities at the Heart of Learning and Adapting (Case #22)
Effective learning requires effective monitoring and evaluation that provides high-quality, timely, and relevant information to decision-makers.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 15
 WHY A CLA APPROACH WAS NEEDED: To increase food CLA APPROACH USED: CARE created a Participatory
supply and nutrition for farmers, CARE worked to change Performance Tracker (PPT). This tool enabled program
farmer behaviors in rural Bangladesh through its Strengthening beneficiaries to track and discuss data relevant to their objectives.
the Dairy Value Chain activity. The success and long-term It also resolved some operational challenges: use of PPT
sustainability of their intervention partially depended on CARE’s required community groups to hold regular meetings to review
ability to monitor progress in a population of tens of thousands their behaviors. This made data available to staff, who could
of rural farmers. CARE decided to re-examine its approaches analyze them and suggest course corrections. Assessing their
and develop a better system to track and incentivize greater own progress also motivated the community groups to become
adoption of healthy behaviors. more engaged in adopting healthy behaviors.

ADAPTING
ADAPTING: Adapting refers to intentionally and systematically learning from relevant knowledge and then leveraging that knowledge
in service of decision-making and ultimately implementing changes. Adapting includes 1) taking time to pause and reflect and 2) using
learnings from these reflections to inform programming and practice adaptive management.

PAUSE & REFLECT: Developing Country-Specific Gender Monitoring Indicators for Men and Women (Case #26)
Building in systematic opportunities to pause and reflect creates an environment where candid conversations become the norm and
ideas surface that promote informed design and implementation decisions.

WHY A CLA APPROACH WAS NEEDED: Through its work CLA APPROACH USED: CARE brought together five country
in the agriculture sector, CARE aims to challenge traditional offices in a one-week workshop to focus on measuring changes
gender norms. Findings from a qualitative midterm assessment in gender relations and roles. Through a participatory, iterative
provided a unique opportunity for multiple CARE country process, staff refined a series of behavior change indicators that
offices to reflect on how best to measure whether their work had come from the midterm assessment. Methods used during
was impacting gender roles and relations in the agriculture sector. the workshop included Outcome Mapping. After the teams
established their indicators, they refined their monitoring
systems to track and report changes in gender and social norms.

ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT: Health Workers at the Forefront of Improving Medical Male Circumcision (Case #31)
After pausing and reflecting, practitioners need to decide upon next steps and implement those changes—the essence of adaptive
management.

WHY A CLA APPROACH WAS NEEDED: After an external CLA APPROACH USED: USAID ASSIST established a process
assessment revealed inconsistencies in Uganda’s quality of to continuously identify gaps in the health system and then
service provision for voluntary male circumcision, the USAID co-create local solutions to address them. To implement this
Applying Science to Strengthen and Improve Systems project process, the program trained health workers on managing
(ASSIST), with other implementing partners, was asked to help adaptively: they learned how to regularly monitor the quality
address these gaps in 30 health facilities. of service provision and develop and test solutions when
challenges arose.

CULTURE
CULTURE: A culture that values 1) openness, 2) building and leveraging relationships and networks, and 3) continuous learning will be
more likely to create opportunities for collaboration and ongoing improvement to support adaptive management.

OPENNESS: Learning and Collaboration: DNA for Next-Generation Agricultural Research (Case #38)
Openness in organizations allows for ideas to flow freely, which in turn motivates staff to continue expressing ideas.

WHY A CLA APPROACH WAS NEEDED: Almost 80 million CLA APPROACH USED: To build a sense of comfort in sharing
farmers in Ethiopia are struggling to escape poverty. To create opinions and ideas, Africa RISING invited all stakeholders to
context-specific and demand-driven solutions for these small- provide input throughout key phases of the project lifecycle—
holder farmers, the Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification design, planning, and implementation. Additionally, Africa
for the Next Generation (Africa RISING) promotes a research- RISING hosted learning and reflection activities that used a
for-development approach; however, these initiatives require variety of strategies to encourage openness to hearing
careful management of power dynamics between researchers alternative ideas from all stakeholders, including both farmers
and farmers for the farmers to change behaviors. and researchers.

RELATIONSHIPS AND NETWORKS: Community Collaboration Powers Solution for Batoulay Water Pumping Station
(Case #33)
Relationships and Networks: By building trusting relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, practitioners can exchange up-to-
date information, expand awareness, and ultimately improve their ability to act strategically.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 16
 WHY A CLA APPROACH WAS NEEDED: The water CLA APPROACH USED: Fortunately, the implementing
infrastructure in Lebanon is inefficient and poorly maintained, partner had developed trusting relationships with community
leaving many residents without water. The Lebanon Water and stakeholders and acted quickly to exchange up-to-date
Wastewater Sector Support Program (LWWSS) aimed to information with their network, notably a series of meetings
repair the system—not simply react to emergency repairs— that revealed the extent of water pump damage and proposals
and position the local agency to independently manage it in the for possible solutions. These meetings resulted in three other
future. But progress was impossible without funds to pay for partners securing additional funds and materials for the
a comprehensive solution. necessary repairs.

CONTINUOUS LEARNING AND IMPROVEMENT: Embracing CLA to Drive Technology Adoption in Kenya: AflaSTOP’s
Experience (Case #69)
A culture that encourages, learning and improvement provides opportunities to continuously iterate and adaptively manage.

WHY A CLA APPROACH WAS NEEDED. To significantly CLA APPROACH USED: AflaSTOP worked to design a culture
reduce the incidence of aflatoxin contamination in Kenyan that motivated staff to learn. They established a process for
farmers’ maize, the Storage and Drying for Aflatoxin Prevention teams to frequently test and re-assess their hypotheses and
activity (AflaSTOP) needed to design new technology, introduce assumptions about aflatoxin technology, market entry, and
it to the market, and facilitate scale-up within a limited time scale-up. All teams shared the assumption that their ideas
frame. The activity team would need to continuously fail fast might fail, which provided staff with regular opportunities to
and adapt accordingly. learn and continuously improve and adapt.

PROCESSES
PROCESSES: CLA-related processes focus on helping practitioners manage knowledge, maintain institutional memory, and create
decision-making processes that support learning and adaptive management.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT: Mapping a Crisis:AidData Students Respond to Nepal Earthquake (Case #71)
Knowledge management means we source various types of knowledge from stakeholders, distill knowledge received into digestible
pieces based on our intended audiences, and share knowledge with those who are best positioned to apply what has been learned.

WHY A CLA APPROACH WAS NEEDED: After the 2015 CLA APPROACH USED: Students crowdsourced data from a
earthquake in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal, partners on the variety of online sources to create maps with critical information
ground needed rapid, up-to-date maps of the destruction to about damage. To respond to the humanitarian crisis, this data
best allocate resources. was shared with partners on the ground via AidData.

INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY AND DECISION-MAKING: PRIME Time for Mercy Corps Ethiopia’s Concept Note and Reporting
System (Case #24)
INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY: Having processes in place to support CLA means that we use knowledge management platforms and
systems to document and access up-to-date information and knowledge in a timely manner. These processes should also help transfer
institutional knowledge, understanding of the local context, and key relationships between outgoing/current and incoming staff. And
lastly, we need to ensure that local staff have opportunities to contribute to institutional memory and personnel onboarding and
transition processes (in addition to accessing their extensive technical and local knowledge).
DECISION-MAKING: Decision-making processes that are transparent and clear to staff and external stakeholders enable more
efficient and effective adaptive management.

WHY A CLA APPROACH WAS NEEDED: In Ethiopia, the CLA APPROACH USED: PRIME developed a system to build
Pastoralist Areas Resilience Improvement through Market its institutional memory, allowing all staff to upload and access
Expansion (PRIME) faced significant management challenges. the concept note and reporting database. The processes Mercy
PRIME involved ten local and international partners in nine Corps created around the concept note and reporting system
offices across three regions. Additionally, these partners had also made staff at all levels feeling empowered to generate ideas.
never implemented PRIME’s market facilitation approach. Then, once management approved their activity, successful
PRIME’s ability to achieve its goal of increasing pastoralist implementation rested in the hands of field staff. This gave
household incomes depended upon the ability of the prime autonomy to staff closest to the action.
awardee to effectively coordinate the work of all 10 partners.

RESOURCES
RESOURCES : Collaborating, learning, and adapting takes resources, including financial resources for facilitation support, travel, staff
5

time. It also requires having staff and consultants with the skills necessary to help us collaborate intentionally, learn systematically, and
manage adaptively.

RESOURCES IN IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS: Fostering Reflective Practice in Complex Development Programming

(Case #21)

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 17
 WHY A CLA APPROACH WAS NEEDED: To help vulnerable CLA APPROACH USED: The organization leveraged resources
small-holder farmers adopt farming technologies and techniques to design and implement a series of professional development
that would improve crop yields and mitigate risk, the trainings aimed to build a culture of continuous reflection and
implementing partner first needed to make improvements in learning through evaluative thinking (ET). The approach taught
its ability to position its staff to acquire the knowledge, skills, staff to remain curious, question assumptions, and rely on
and attitudes to reflect on learning and manage adaptively. evidence to make decisions. Staff had opportunities to practice
new techniques for constructively questioning underlying
assumptions to make better decisions.

RESOURCES IN MISSIONS: Cultivating the CLA Enabling Environment: USAID Uganda’s Mission of Leaders Program (Case #62)

WHY A CLA APPROACH WAS NEEDED: Uganda continues CLA APPROACH USED: The Uganda mission institutionalized
to face myriad multi-faceted development challenges despite a “Mission of Leaders” approach that equipped staff with the
decades of foreign aid. Conditions at USAID/Uganda, such as knowledge, skills, and attitudes to use CLA to achieve better
the high rate of Foreign Service Officer and leadership turnover, development outcomes. Activities included executive coaching,
do not necessarily lend themselves to easily navigating such leadership training, and external CLA support—all of which
complex environments. were well-resourced.

What CLA practices and approaches are found in the cases?

What CLA approaches appeared the most and least frequently among the CLA subcomponents in the Program Cycle?
Collaboration with external stakeholders appeared most often (28 cases), followed by pause and reflect (18 cases), and
M&E for learning (13). Scenario planning was the only approach not mentioned in any case to solve a development or
management challenge. These findings lend themselves to a variety of interpretations: perhaps external collaboration
is the easiest to accomplish and confirms the well-understood value of local partnerships to successful development
interventions. Similarly, scenario planning may not be a common practice across the international development industry.
A deeper understanding of these issues would require additional research.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 18
FIGURE 6. CLA in the Program Cycle: Nearly all the cases referenced External Collaboration in their CLA approach. None of the
cases mentioned Scenario Planning.

Scenario Planning
0%
Theories of Change

Technical Evidence Base

6%
19%
Internal Collaboration
25%
Adaptive Management
31%
M&E for Learning
41%
Pause & Reflect
56%
External Collaboration
88%

What appeared most and least among the Enabling Conditions (culture, processes, and resources)? A total of 25 cases
mentioned CLA in implementing mechanisms, where budgeting as well as staff composition and skills supported
a CLA approach. A few of the other most commonly referenced subcomponents include continuous learning and
improvement (18 cases), institutional memory (17 cases), and knowledge management (17 cases). Openness, noted by
just 6 cases, received the fewest mentions. Again, these patterns could be interpreted in a variety of ways. Operationalizing
CLA requires resources, which could explain why most cases mentioned CLA in implementing mechanisms. Additionally,
knowledge management and institutional memory, which reinforce one another in the CLA framework, seem to
be fundamental components to integrating CLA for more than half of the cases. Likewise, continuous learning and
improvement, also present in at least half of the cases analyzed, can be considered a key factor for enabling CLA in
action. Another variable in the frequency of the subcomponents in the cases might be that the oft-mentioned items
are easier to write about.

FIGURE 7. Cases noted CLA in Implementing Mechanisms and Continuous Learning and Improvement the most frequently.

Openness
19%
Mission Resources
28%
Decision-Making
28%
Relationships & Networks
28%
Institutional Memory
53%
Knowledge Management
53%
Continuous Learning & Improvement
56%
CLA in Implementing Mechanisms
94%

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 19
When analyzing all subcomponents across all 32 cases, it becomes evident that each case addressed at least one part
of the Program Cycle and one part of the Enabling Conditions. In other words, each case incorporated CLA in some
aspect of the Program Cycle processes, including strategy, project, and activity design and implementation as well as
organizational culture, business processes, and/or resource allocation. This suggests that applicants took a holistic
approach to launching their CLA initiatives. This finding exemplifies the intent behind the CLA framework: to become
stronger learning organizations capable of managing adaptively, organizations need both integrated CLA practices
appropriate for their context and conducive enabling conditions.

What resources are needed for CLA?

What resources are necessary to integrate a CLA approach? Systematically integrating CLA requires resources—human,
material, and financial. Missions and implementing partners report needing increased staff time most frequently (29 cases)
followed by staff expertise (22 cases), and knowledge management platforms (11 cases) for launching CLA into action.

What do these data mean for CLA implementation? Budgets need to adequately support CLA. When staff intentionally
collaborate with key stakeholders, for example, they need to have their time covered in work plans and budgets.
Building a culture of continuous learning and improvement might necessitate hiring staff with adult learning and
facilitation skills. Appropriate management of institutional knowledge requires a platform where staff can upload and
access relevant information.

Below, a few examples from the 2015 cases demonstrate how resources facilitated the implementation of a CLA approach:

FIGURE 8. Examples of resources commonly mentioned in cases.

RESOURCE TYPE QUOTE FROM THE FIELD

STAFF TIME APPEARED IN 29 CASES: Embracing CLA to Drive Technology Adoption in Kenya: AflaSTOP’s
Intentionally and systematically integrating Experience (Case #69): AflaSTOP’s development intervention approach
collaborating, learning, and adapting into our required collaboration:
work requires that we set aside time to do so, “Collaboration is time-intensive, and time is money [….] Unlike many ‘normal’
which reflects why most cases reported an projects, AflaSTOP has required multiple post-award approvals from government
increase in staff time to perform CLA. departments covering environment, science, and ethics, as well as buy-in from
county governments for some activities. Taking the time to sit and explain the aim
of the program and reaching out to people for their help in moving the processes
forward is an important part of collaboration.”
— Anna Garloch, ACDI/VOCA

STAFF EXPERTISE APPEARED IN 22 CASES: Putting the Community at the Heart of Learning and Adapting (Case #22):
Integrating collaborating, learning, and adapting CARE relied on skilled facilitators to implement its Participatory Performance
requires staff to have a particular skill set. Some Tracker:
helpful skills include knowledge of adult learning “Some of our particular success factors are our well-trained and invested facilitators
techniques and strong facilitation skills. at the community level. They are really the linchpin for doing this work in a way
that gets communities to participate in the self-assessment process [Participatory
Performance Tracker] and getting them motivated to act, beyond giving the project
management team the information they need to improve the work.”
— Emily Janoch, CARE

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PLATFORMS PRIME Time for Mercy Corps Ethiopia’s Concept Note and Reporting
APPEARED IN 11 CASES: Managing data and System (Case #24): To integrate a shared concept note and reporting system
information for an institution often requires a among 10 partners, Mercy Corps invested in staff time and a knowledge
shared space where stakeholders can upload, management platform:
access, and review information. Roughly one “The system required a lot of resources in terms of training staff (time) and building
third of the cases reported investing in a the online platform (money). It was a worthwhile investment given PRIME’s size
knowledge management platform to implement and complexity”
their CLA approach.
— Lorenz Wild, Mercy Corps

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 20
Linking CLA Approaches to Outcomes
This section explores the questions: How did case submitters operationalize their CLA approaches? And how did those
approaches lead to outcomes? Put another way, what are the results chains the cases put forward to demonstrate how
CLA integration leads to outcomes?

As noted in the methodology section, submitters were not required to present a coherent results chain outlining their
CLA approaches or how those approaches led to outcomes and the analysis team relied on inductive coding to uncover
these findings. Once detailed chains were created for each case, the analysis team determined whether there were
emerging patterns that established more generalizable findings regarding how CLA approaches were operationalized
and led to outcomes. The team uncovered five such findings. Each is presented in this section with examples from the
cases that best represent this finding in greater detail. Apart from the last finding, each is also further bolstered by a
discussion of corroborating literature and research.

FINDING 1:
COLLABORATION LEVERAGES RESOURCES FOR COLLECTIVE BENEFIT.

Five of the 32 cases show how collaboration helps to reduce duplication of effort and in some
COLLABORATING cases, jointly improve desired outcomes.

FINDING 1: Collaboration leverages resources for collective benefit.

OUTCOME EXAMPLES

Identify common Agree on individual Implement contribu- As a result:

interests contributions/ tions for collective Communities in Lebanon
Partners come together value-add benefit have sufficient access to water
to discuss challenges Partners consider their Partners implement their (Case #33)
impeding the achieve- comparative advantages agreed upon contributions
ment of a shared goal and decide upon (e.g., provide funds
As a result:
contributions toward the shared goal)
Farmers in Bangladesh had
access to an increased number
of technologies (Case #34)

As a result:
Cross-border polio
eradication efforts spread to
more remote and isolated
areas in the Horn of Africa
(Case #41)

The cases that shaped this finding describe how collaborating helps development actors to identify their respective
comparative advantages around a common goal. Then, the stakeholders decide on next steps and divvy up
responsibilities. Based on the final agreement each stakeholder either provides funding, human resources, and/or
materials among other potential contributions toward the mutual desired outcome. This collaboration then leads to
organizational and/or development outcomes that may not have occurred otherwise.

Several cases illustrate this finding:

1. Community Collaboration Powers Solution for Batoulay Water Pumping Station (Case #33)

Development Challenge/Opportunity: The water infrastructure in Lebanon is inefficient and poorly maintained,
resulting in poor and irregular supply to the Lebanese people. The Lebanon Water and Wastewater Sector Support

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 21
Program (LWWSS) was working to repair the entire system—not just fix individual problems—and position the
in-country Water Establishments to independently manage supply and infrastructure in the future. During the
implementation of LWWSS in Batoulay, Lebanon, by Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI), however, one of the pumps
that supplied water to the surrounding communities stopped working. The broken pump also exposed a more systematic
problem with the water infrastructure and the implementing partner did not have enough funds to pay for a more
comprehensive solution.

CLA Approach: Fortunately, DAI had developed trusting relationships with other stakeholders in the Batoulay region
and acted quickly to exchange up-to-date information with their network. DAI hosted a series of meetings where they
revealed the extent of the water pump damage and presented proposals for solutions. These meetings resulted in three
other partners (UNICEF, Office of Transition Initiatives, and Chemonics) securing additional funds and materials for the
necessary repairs.

How this Case Represents the Finding.

OUTCOMES

Identify common Agree on individual Implement contribu-

interests contributions/ tions for collective As a result:
value-add benefit Reduced electricity costs
A series of meetings incurred via the water system
were held in the Other donors and One donor purchased by 15 percent
presence of other partners committed the equipment
donors working in the to helping repair the needed and the other
area to discuss what had systemic damage. installed the new
happened and what the pieces, effectively As a result:
new design and the IP’s fixing the water The pumps now supplied
funding gaps. system issues. sufficient water to the
Batoulay communities

2. Collaborating, Learning and Adapting to Development the Bangladesh Dairy Sector (Case #34)

Development Challenge/Opportunity: In Bangladesh, cattle density stands out as among the highest in the world.
Milk production, however, does not compare, with dairy cows producing between one third and a half of what other
countries average per dairy cow per day. People in the southern region, plagued by poverty and unfavorable soil
conditions, suffered disproportionately. To improve dairy production, USAID/Bangladesh launched the Bangladesh
Livestock Production for Improved Nutrition activity in the south, engaging seven different donors who funded seven
different activities. USAID/Bangladesh quickly recognized the need to streamline and coordinate efforts.

CLA Approach: To improve coordination among donors, USAID/Bangladesh formed the Bangladesh Livestock
Coordination Group, which started meeting quarterly. Through these meetings, the donors identified several ways that
collaboration and coordination could help Bangladeshi farmers improve the production of their dairy cows.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 22
How this Case Represents the Finding.

OUTCOMES

Identify common Agree on individual Implement

interests contributions/ contributions for
USAID/Bangladesh value-add collective benefit
As a result:
formed the Bangladesh Donors decided to focus The group:
An increased number of
Coordination Group on interventions that were Combined master trainers farmers from the southern
and met quarterly with similar across all activities to serve all activities region received training
other donors to identify and leverage the power
areas for collaboration of their collective Hosted discussions with
coordination. private sector dairy
partners
Visited each other’s
activities in order
understand the best
practices and
challenges faced by As a result:
each donor. Farmers in the south have
access to a larger number of
Agreed to purchase improved technologies
technologies in bulk
to save money

3. Cross-border Vaccinations in the Horn of Africa (Case #41)

Development Challenge/Opportunity: In the Horn of Africa, where regional conflicts, terrorist activities, migrant
passages de-stablilize the border areas, polio broke out in 2013. The CORE Group Polio Project (CGPP), identified
cross-border transmission as a significant risk and decided to tackle the spread of polio in those areas.

CLA Approach: CGPP employed the Secretariat Model, which convenes civil society, in-country, and such international
actors as UNICEF and the World Health Organization, to coordinate efforts to stop the spread of poliovirus in cross-
border areas. They mapped villages, crossing points, and transit routes and established vaccination stations in target
areas. The system is widely seen as successful and is being replicated in the region; monitoring and evaluation plans have
been put in place.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 23
How this Case Represents the Finding.

OUTCOMES

Identify common Agree on individual Implement contributions As a result:

interests contributions/value-add for collective benefit Partners have clear objectives
1) Willing partners 2) CGPP mapped out 3) Partners implemented and processes in place
joined CGPP cross-border villages, agreed upon strategies to
crossing points, and address polio eradication
transit routes to assist in cross-border areas As a result:
health administrators Partners developed and
Leaders also traveled to
and other partners implemented joint monitoring
other villages, on their
with identifying where and evaluation plans
own initiative, to
to provide support. advocate for CLTS.
As a result:
Vaccination activities have
expanded to other remote
areas in the Horn of Africa

Identify common Implement

As a result:
interests contributions for
Other actors working in
4) CGPP also helped collective benefit
polio eradication have
form a cross-border 5) Health administra- expressed interest in
health committee that tors ensured the collaborating with CGPP
met regularly to discuss placement of
cross-border vaccination cross-border
vaccination points. As a result:
The South Sudan Ministry
of Health noted CGPP’s
work as among the most
successful polio campaigns

How does the Literature Support This Finding?

A number of studies support this finding. For example, research and theory on collaboration for collective impact
provides numerous case studies of significant community impacts achieved through collaboration among actors from
different sectors committed to solving a specific social problem.6 In addition, while finding relatively little research on
broader societal impact, a 2005 literature review of corporate strategic alliances and models of collaboration identifies
gains for partners from leveraging social capital, knowledge sharing, and resource capabilities.7 Collaborative organiza-
tions were also found to be more successful because relationships among individuals and groups are important for
innovation and the creation and distribution of knowledge. By collaborating effectively, groups and teams develop
“transactive (or shared) memory systems,” which enable better group goal performance.8 However, research also
shows that collaboration is not a panacea. It must be strategic, or else it can lead to wasted time, slow decision-making,
interpersonal conflict, and loss of motivation.9 As demonstrated above, collaboration leads to specific benefits when
intentionally and systematically applied.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 24
 FINDING 2: LOCAL ENGAGEMENT LEADS TO LOCAL OWNERSHIP AND,
ULTIMATELY, IMPROVED DEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES.

Five out of the 32 cases highlight how engaging with local stakeholders contributes to
COLLABORATING increased ownership and agency of development intervention. This in turn can lead to better
development outcomes.

FINDING 2: Local engagement leads to local ownership and, ultimately, improved development outcomes.

OUTCOMES

Local Engagement Local Ownership + Local Action

Local stakeholders buy-in Local stakeholders: As a result:
engaged in the design, Stakeholders’ buy-in Ebola transmission declined
Support field staff (Case #48)
implementation, and/or improves and they for improved service
activity monitoring and take more ownership delivery
evaluation of achieving the goals
of the intervention Create a healthy sense
of competition to As a result:
improve behaviors. Villages showed a decrease
in open defecation rates
(Case #19)

The two cases below show how better development results from collaboration with beneficiaries. When implementing
partners invite local stakeholders to participate in development processes, they become motivated and engaged in
solutions to community challenges.
1. Rapid Collaboration, Learning, and Adapting: Community-Based Response to Ebola (Case #48)

Development Challenge/Opportunity: When Ebola struck Liberia and eventually spiraled into an epidemic, Global
Communities realized it needed to help curtail the epidemic. Based on data that showed that infection was spreading
due to mishandling of the dead, Global Communities decided to help improve dead-body management and encourage
safe burial practices. However, communities were skeptical of Global Communities and even attacked staff members
and their vehicles. Communities wanted to know: “Why do you only come when someone has died? Why do you not
come to help when someone is sick?”

CLA Approach: Rather than trying to force behavior change, Global Communities shifted tactics and began engaging
more with the communities. They built a community engagement strategy that solicited input from all members of
society. Traditional leaders attended meetings and said they could help. When villagers did not trust Global Communities,
traditional leaders were willing to enter and educate about Ebola transmission. They also accompanied burial staff to
ensure safe and peaceful burials. Ebola transmission declined and Global Communities buried nearly 100 percent of
contaminated corpses.

OUTCOMES

Engagement Local Ownership + Local Action

Global Communities buy-in Traditional leaders
hosted a meeting, Traditional leaders started educating As a result:
requesting input and came to the meeting, communities about Ebola transmission
solutions from appreciated Global Ebola and accompanied declined and Global
communities suffering Communities’ Global Communities Communities buried
from Ebola. approach and technical staff to nearly 100 percent
offered help. ensure safe and of contaminated corpses.
non-violent burials

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 25
How this Case Represents the Finding:
2. Empowering Chiefs and Traditional Leaders Revolutionizes Sanitation Program (Case #19)

Development Challenge/Opportunity: Millions of impoverished rural Zambians have no access to sanitation facilities,
and open defecation is a common practice. Without hand-washing facilities, many acquire diarrheal disease. Akros
helped to spearhead a community-led total sanitation (CLTS) approach with the goal of decreasing open defecation.
Initially, Akros relied on a program that trained government health workers, who would then work with the communities.
Once implementation of the CLTS started, however, Akros realized that behaviors were not changing: community
members lacked motivation to build the hand-washing stations and latrines that could have a significant, positive impact
on their health.

CLA Approach: To understand the root cause of the problem, Akros asked field officers to gather information from
both government health workers and the communities. The organization soon learned about the strained relationship
between government employees and the community members: communities placed more trust in their local leadership.
Akros then shifted focus and began to engage local leaders directly. Through orientations and workshops, field staff
had the opportunity to explain the dangers of open defecation. Later, to further involve local leadership in the activity,
Akros also delivered handheld tablets to the chiefs, who used them to track progress in their villages. Progress toward
eliminating open defecation increased by 22 percent.

OUTCOME

Engagement Local Ownership + Local Action

1) Program leaders buy-in 3) Local leaders began
engaged with chiefs to 2) Local leaders made promoting the sanitation
get their blessings as well goals to have their agenda.
as help with advocacy chiefdoms become free Leaders also traveled
and communication of open defecation to other villages, on
efforts in villages. their own initiative, to
advocate for CLTS.

As a result:
Following engagement
with local leadership,
village progress toward
open defecation-free
Engagement Local Ownership + Local Action increased by 22 percent
4) Later during the buy-in 6) Leaders used the tablets
activity, Akros decided 5) Leaders accepted to check their villages’
to distribute tablets to tablets from Akros progress and compared
the local leaders for themselves to other
monitoring purposes. villages, effectively
motivating them to
further improve their
performance.

How this Case Represents the Finding:

How does the Literature Support This Finding?

The literature that discusses “thinking politically,” being “politically smart” and pursuing “locally driven development”
supports these findings. Emerging research focuses on the need for approaches that are embedded in the local context
and negotiated and delivered by local stakeholders. This type of development also underscores the importance of
partnerships between donors and local actors that are based on trust and transparency and where differences in power
between actors are acknowledged and addressed.10 Development, thus far, has predominantly been led by Northern
organizations that impose their models and requirements onto local partners. The literature increasingly emphasizes the

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 26
 need for locally-led approaches that are embedded in the local
context, and are locally negotiated and delivered. This approach can
lead to more effective development.11

LEARNING PROCESSES
FINDING 3: INTENTIONAL KNOWLEDGE
MANAGEMENT GENERATES STANDARD GOOD
PRACTICES FOR BROADER APPLICATION.

Among the 32 cases, four demonstrated how intentional knowledge management can help to generate standard good

KNOWLEDGE
APPLICATION
Knowledge Knowledge capture Knowledge share
generation Knowledge captured to Knowledge shared among As a result:
Stakeholders generate inform learning products relevant stakeholders USAID scaled-up successful
knowledge based on Good practices interventions to other
their experience documented via learning countries (Case #31)
products

As a result:
Partners identified
opportunities for more
systematic and intentional
collaboration (Case #78)

practices leading to broader application.

FINDING 3: Intentional knowledge management generates standard good practices for broader application.

This finding aligns with the knowledge management subcomponent in the CLA framework and reflects existing
literature on knowledge cycles.12 The cases below demonstrate how knowledge generation, capture, and sharing can
contribute to improvements at the organizational level (through knowledge application). Moreover, knowledge
dissemination can also lead to scale-up.
1. Health Workers at the Forefront of Improving Medical Male Circumcision (Case #31)

Development Opportunity/Challenge: After an external assessment revealed inconsistencies in quality of service for
safe male circumcision in Uganda, the USAID Applying Science to Strengthen and Improve Systems project (ASSIST),
with other implementing partners, was asked to make improvements in 30 health facilities.

CLA Approach: USAID ASSIST established a process to continuously identify gaps in the health system and then
co-create local solutions to address them. To implement this process, the program trained health workers on managing
adaptively: in peer-to peer sessions, they learned how to regularly monitor quality, identify areas for improvements, and
adopt best practices. The program also created a guide and best practices document that was shared with all 30 sites
and can be used in other regions and countries. The approach spread from 30 sites to now 165 sites in Uganda and has
now been introduced by ASSIST in three other countries. It also led to the development and adoption of standardized
national tools and indicators for monitoring the quality of services.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 27
How this Case Represents the Finding.

KNOWLEDGE
APPLICATION
Knowledge generation Knowledge capture Knowledge share
1) Peer-to-peer learning 2) Teams shared best 3) Best practices document
sessions held every three practices and challenges produced based on a
to five months for with one another synthesis from the peer-to-
representatives from the 3) Best practices peer meetings
30 sites As a result:
document produced 4) Best practices The approach spread from
based on a synthesis document shared with 30 sites to now 165 sites in
from the peer-to-peer all 30 sites. Uganda and has now been
meetings introduced by ASSIST in
three other countries.

Knowledge generation Knowledge capture Knowledge share

5) Organized harvest 6) Systematically reviewed No explicit mention of how
meeting to capture how sites made improvements guide was shared in the As a result:
additional lessons learned in the quality of service case but it is available online Led to the development
provision and adoption of standardized
7) Created a guide on national tools and indicators
how to improve the for monitoring the
quality of male circumci- quality of services.
sion that could be used by
the initial 30 sites as well
as other partners

2. Collaborative Learning to Adapt RISE Programs to Emerging Best Practices (Case #78)

Development Challenge/Opportunity: A five-year activity, Sahel Resilience Learning (SAREL) provides monitoring,
evaluation, collaboration, and learning support to USAID’s Resilience in the Sahel-Enhanced (RISE) initiative. SAREL
addresses some of the major challenges faced by RISE partners, notably a lack of a shared collaboration and learning
platform. Without it, partners do not have the latest information that could improve their approaches and/or provide
opportunities for collaboration.

CLA Approach: SAREL conducted the following activities: 1) identified and mapped proven technologies and approaches
implemented by partners that have helped build the resilience of vulnerable families, 2) hosted knowledge-sharing events
to validate best practices and identify opportunities for collaboration, and 3) produced briefs on best practices and
uploads them to a shared online platform. Thus, the partners were able to identify promising practices and discover
areas of potential collaboration between humanitarian and development interventions.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 28
How this Case Represents the Finding.

KNOWLEDGE
OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
Knowledge generation Knowledge capture Knowledge share
1) SAREL identifies and 2) RISE partners debate 6) SAREL developed online
maps successful technolo- and validate compilation of resilience map and database
gies and approaches proven technologies and for RISE partners
approaches in forms and 7) Facilitated online
e-consultations As a result:
discussions of promising Identified promising practices
3) SAREL prepares practices in different communities
evidence-based best
practices and lessons
learned products for
testing by RISE partners

As a result:
Knowledge generation/capture Found potential areas of
4) RISE partners monitor the adoption of best practices collaboration between
and results humanitarian and
5) RISE partners document the best practices and lessons development interventions
learned for potential scale-up

How does the Literature Support This Finding?

The literature documents many cases of organizations becoming more productive and successful as they manage and
transfer knowledge from one unit to another. Knowledge management (KM) facilitates reflection and learning, and it
is pivotal for making good decisions and designing effective programs. The role of information and communication
technology (ICT) is an area of interest in this field. Further, the literature cautions against focusing KM only on storing
information; instead KM should be people-centric.13 A recent study conducted by RWTH Aachen University in Germany
quantitatively tested the proposed relationship between knowledge management systems and ramp-up performance.14
The study showed a small but significant effect of knowledge management on the success of ramp-up projects. The
researchers found strong linear relationships between the elements of knowledge management (knowledge generation,
knowledge capture, knowledge sharing, and knowledge application). As seen in the cases above, organizations that
employ all the elements of knowledge management ae more likely to see positive impacts.15 Such factors as company
size, complexity of the product, or applied technology did not reveal significant influence.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 29
 FINDING 4: FEEDBACK LOOPS INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT
EVIDENCE WILL INFORM DECISION-MAKING.

Eight of the 32 cases analyzed pointed to a pattern of intentionally using regular feedback
ADAPTING loops to inform programmatic decision-making. In most cases, submitters described how
these decisions led to actions and, in some cases, specific outcomes.

FINDING 4: Feedback loops increase the likelihood that evidence will inform decision-making.

OUTCOMES

Learning Tool Feedback Loop Decision-Making Action As a result:

or Process Feedback generated Feedback loops Decision-making Adapted training programs
Creation of a inform decision- informs programmatic (Case #66 –
tool to generate making on a regular actions see greater detail below)
feedback basis

As a result:
Focused resources on
technologies with the
greatest potential
(Case #69 –
see greater detail below)

This finding mirrors the articulation of adaptive management in the CLA framework: teams and organizations analyze
learning  make decisions based on learning  and follow-through on decisions reached. The cases below illustrate this
process and describe specific tools and processes for creating feedback loops that provide continuous learning to inform
decision-making.
1. Mapping a Crisis: AidData Students Respond to Nepal Earthquake (Case # 71)

Development Challenge/Opportunity: After the 2015 earthquake in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal, partners on the
ground needed rapid, up-to-date maps of the destruction to best allocate resources.

CLA Approach: Students from the College of William & Mary participated in a crowdsourced mapping effort to provide
critical information to relief workers in Nepal. This information was provided on a regular basis to inform partner
decision-making. Simultaneously, partners were providing feedback to mappers to improve the quality of data received
over time, ultimately providing more than 111,000 updates to the map. This approach provided a foundation for scale-
up of mapping beyond the Nepal crisis.

How this Case Represents the Finding.

OUTCOMES

Learning Tool Feedback Loop Decision-Making Action

As a result:
or Process Over 111,000 Partners use data Not documented in Not documented in the
Students trained in updates to the map to inform decision- the case competition case competition entry
mapping platform of Nepal made making entry
Students and Data delivered via an Students use feedback Adjustments to
mappers populate online portal in usable to inform decisions on mapping As a result:
maps using formats to USG and mapping efforts Adjustments to mapping
incoming data non-USG partners
Partners provided
feedback to As a result:
improve the quality Planned scale-up of
of the data mapping initiative beyond
the Nepal crisis

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 30
2. Continuous Evaluation16 and Real-Time Feedback Fosters Adaptive Program Management (Case # 66)

Development Challenge/Opportunity: To improve literacy rates and reduce HIV transmission among primary and
secondary school students, the Ugandan government designed an integrated education and health strategy. USAID/
Uganda supports this approach through the School Health and Reading Program (SHRP), implemented through the
Research Triangle Institute (RTI). The mission awarded a Performance and Impact Evaluation mechanism (P&IE) to
Panagora Group with the goal of providing monitoring, evaluation, and CLA advisory services for RTI.

CLA Approach: Panagora Group developed a multi-stage approach to continuous evaluation aimed at maximizing
collaborative reflection and learning.16 It provided the partner implementing the technical intervention with the real-time
performance information needed to underpin adaptive management decisions and actions that perhaps, in turn, lead to
improved program results.

How this Case Represents the Finding.

OUTCOMES

Learning Tool Feedback Loop Decision-Making Action

or Process Meetings held to Decisions reached Teams adapt
Regular perfor- discuss feedback in on what to adapt implementation
mance feedback memos and management
memo with clearly based on decisions As a result:
articulated reached Adapted training
appreciative and programs
constructive
feedback provided

3. Embracing CLA to Drive Technology Adoption in Kenya (Case # 69)

Development Challenge/Opportunity: The Storage and Drying for Aflatoxin Prevention activity (AflaSTOP) aimed to
significantly reduce the incidence of aflatoxin contamination of Kenyan farmers’ maize. AflaSTOP set out to design new
technology, introduce it to the market, and facilitate scale-up within a limited time frame—meaning that the activity
team would need to continuously fail fast and adapt accordingly.

CLA Approach: AflaSTOP worked to design a culture that motivated staff to learn on a regular basis. They established
a process that enabled teams to frequently test and re-assess their hypotheses and assumptions about aflatoxin
technology and market entry and scale-up. Also, all teams adopted the mindset that their ideas might fail, which freed
them from pressure to produce positive results and invited critical thinking. They developed and tested maize-drying
technologies, ultimately selecting the dryer that worked most effectively.

How this Case Represents the Finding.

OUTCOMES

Learning Tool Feedback Loop Decision-Making Action

or Process Tested and re- Set decision points Teams adapted
Developed a assessed multiple in the work-plan technologies As a result:
hypothesis and possibilities to evaluate data based Dropped two of three
assumptions for the on feedback loops maize dryers, allowing
development of a AlfaSTOP to direct resources
maize drying more appropriately.
technology and
market-scale-up

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 31
How does the Literature Support This Finding?

The literature shows that adaptive management requires an agile and enabling culture that helps organizations use rapid
feedback loops to continuously and efficiently process and build on new information to achieve overall goals.17 The
literature also shows that when implemented properly, feedback loops can be a tool for learning and adapting as well as
for reporting and accountability. A 2016 report published by Feedback Labs outlines how feedback loops have directly
and indirectly contributed to development outcomes. In the development context, the strongest evidence for feedback
loops exists in community-based monitoring, according to the report. In some instances, there was a positive relationship
between community based monitoring and improved development outcomes. However, feedback loops are not always
effective and can sometimes do more harm than good (e.g., disempowerment when feedback does not result in any
changes). The report suggests that feedback loops are “smart” when the donor and/or government agency has the
willingness and capacity to respond, when people are sufficiently empowered to fully participate, and when contextual
factors like personal bias, access to information, and technical expertise are taken into consideration.18

FINDING 5: CLA BEGETS CLA AND SOMETIMES LEADS TO SCALE-UP.

In comparison to the preceding findings, the largest number of cases fall into this category with 10 out of the 32 cases
demonstrating similar patterns around CLA exposure, uptake, and occasionally, scale-up as shown in the graphic below:

FINDING 5: CLA begets CLA; CLA sometimes leads to scale-up.

CLA BEGETS CLA: SCALE-UP:

CLA approaches reinforces the use and uptake of CLA within an organization and CLA approach or product is
contribute to better organizational and/or development outcomes. scaled-up beyond the organization

CLA approach Buy-in and Continue or Organizational In these cases,

implemented ownership of increase use of and/or scale-up occurred:
Stakeholders CLA approach CLA approach development
experience a CLA They understand Seeing the outcomes The CLA approach was
process or the value of positive impact Partners collect scaled to other countries
approach firsthand utilizing this CLA CLA has on their better quality data where the partner worked
approach and see work motivates (Case #29) (Case #22)
the positive them to continue Improved
impacts it has on to use or increase Other in-country partners
adoption rates for
their work the use of CLA implemented the
key behaviors
CLA approach
(Case #64 and
(Case #62)
Case #22)

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 32
To illustrate the breakdown of this finding, the table below categorizes the ten cases according to their respective
contribution:

CASE CLA BEGETS CLA SCALE-UP

Putting Communities at the Heart of Learning and Adapting ✓ ✓

(Case #22)

Developing Country-Specific Gender Monitoring Indicators for ✓ ✓

Men and Women (Case #26)

Cultivating the CLA Enabling Environment: USAID Uganda’s X ✓

Mission of Leaders Program (Case #62)

Health Workers at the Forefront of Improving Medical Male X ✓

Circumcision (Case #31)

Improving Validity and Reliability of Licensure Examination for X ✓

Health Workers (Case #27)

Mapping a Crisis: AidData Students Respond to Nepal X ✓

Earthquake (Case # 71)

Learning with the Community to Improve an Intervention ✓ X

Approach (Case #64)

Learning Platforms to Strengthen Partnerships and Outcomes ✓ X

for MTCT Reduction (Case #29)

PRIME Time for Mercy Corps Ethiopia’s Concept Note and ✓ X

Reporting System (Case #24)

USAID/Malawi’s Experiment in Integration (Case #28) ✓ X

The two examples below underscore how implementing a CLA approach can lead to increased CLA uptake and
potentially improved organizational and/or development outcomes.
1. Learning Platforms to Strengthen Partnerships and Outcomes for MTCT Reduction (Case #29)

Development Challenge/Opportunity: The Tanzanian Government implements the Partnership for HIV Free Survival
(PHFS) as part of the ‘Global Plan toward the Elimination of New HIV Infections among Children by 2015 and Keeping
their Mothers Alive’ (eMTCT). This complex, multi-party PHFS initiative initially launched in 30 health facilities across
three districts in Tanzania and needed a mechanism to share progress and learn from each facility’s experience. USAID
Applying Science to Strengthen and Improve Systems (USAID ASSIST) led this approach.

CLA Approach: USAID ASSIST launched regular national meetings, which provided implementing partners, donors,
national health officials, health providers, and community health workers with the opportunity to share learnings and
challenges. Partners began to share, coach each other, collaborate, and ultimately began collecting better quality data
and improving practices.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 33
How this Case Represents the Finding.

ORGANIZATIONAL
AND/OR DEVELOPMENT
CLA approach Buy-in and ownership Continue or increase OUTCOMES
implemented of CLA approach use of CLA approach
USAID ASSIST Having a distinct role Through the continued As a result:
coordinated learning to play during the exchange of knowledge Partners collect better
meetings for HIV Free meetings motivated during meetings, quality data
Survival partners to each partner to partners found other
reflect and share lessons effectively prepare for ways to collaborate:
learned and share learnings partners from higher
during the meetings performing sites began As a result:
to coach lower-per- Regional Health Managers
forming sites apply best practices that
worked in other districts

2. Learning with the Community to Improve an Intervention Approach (Case #64)

Development Challenge/Opportunity: Uganda’s Community Connector (CC) activity aims to alleviate poverty, food
insecurity, and undernutrition. One activity is to promote Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) to encourage
the use of savings for investments. During the first year, field staff realized that community members were not saving
for the long term but rather spending all their savings during the December holidays, leaving nothing for other expenses
such as planting or school.

CLA Approach: To improve community members’ savings, staff implemented a participatory assessment of saving
behaviors and shared the data with the local and the community members involved in the savings groups. The
implementing agency FHI 360 also hosted meetings where both the government and the participants in the savings
program contributed to generating new solutions. This led to the creation of a new initiative, “Saving with a Purpose”
(SWAP), which asked groups to develop their own savings goals and more closely aligned the disbursement of funds
with planting seasons or the start of school. It also identified community members who already saved for the long-term
to share their experience.

How this Case Represents the Finding.

ORGANIZATIONAL
AND/OR DEVELOPMENT
CLA approach Buy-in and ownership Continue or increase OUTCOMES
implemented of CLA approach use of CLA approach
FHI360 conducted a Community members Community members create Beneficiaries:
participatory assessment provided ideas to improve their own savings’ goals Monitoring information indicates
of savings’ behavior asked savings’ behavior Some groups made additional that most of the groups are
the communities to help New VSLA iteration aligned changes to their savings adopting improved savings
generate solutions more closely with community by-laws and designed a behaviors.
members’ financial needs. system even more attuned
to their specific needs.
FHI360 staff:
Incorporated logic models into
discussions more frequently
and began challenging
assumptions more to
achieve the best possible
development outcomes

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 34
Among the 10 cases, 6 cases explicitly document evidence of scale-up. In many of those, the authors do not provide
details about why other partners or country offices adopted the CLA approach or product. Therefore, the analysis
team inferred that some transfer of knowledge happened among interested actors for scale-up to occur. Additionally,
not all the chains follow an identical pattern. As shown previously, in four of the cases we do not see evidence of an
increase in use of the CLA approach before scale-up occurs. The examples below demonstrate these nuances:
3. Putting Communities at the Heart of Learning and Adapting (Case #22)

Development Challenge/Opportunity: To increase farmers’ access to food and improve nutrition, CARE worked to
change the behaviors of rural farmers in Bangladesh through its Strengthening the Dairy Value Chain activity. The
success and long-term sustainability of their intervention partially depends on CARE’s ability to monitor progress in
the behaviors it works to promote; however, monitoring behavior change among tens of thousands of rural, illiterate
farmers represented a daunting challenge. Large amounts of data collected at infrequent intervals, coupled with a lack
of community motivation to adopt new behaviors, forced CARE to re-examine its approaches and develop a better
system to track and provide incentives for farmers to adopt healthy behavior.

CLA Approach: To increase community motivation and better monitor progress toward behavior change, CARE
created a Participatory Performance Tracker (PPT). This tool enables program beneficiaries to track and discuss data
relevant to their objectives. It also resolved some of CARE’s operational challenges: relying on the PPT required
community groups to hold regular meetings to review their behaviors. These data could then be aggregated and shared
with program staff, who would analyze the data and suggest course corrections. Assessing their own progress also
ended up motivating community groups to take more agency in adopting behaviors promoted by CARE. It also led to
CARE expanding the use of the PPT to an additional 8 country offices working with 5,000 community groups. In both
cases, effective M&E for learning had a ripple effect on communities using the tool and CARE’s offices.

ORGANIZATIONAL
AND/OR SCALE-UP OF
DEVELOPMENT CLA APPROACH
OUTCOMES OR PRODUCT

Beneficiaries:
CLA approach Buy-in and Continue or Adoption rates for
implemented ownership of increase use of key behaviors rose to
CARE implemented CLA approach CLA approach 60 or 70 percent
a Participatory Beneficiaries: Tracked Beneficiaries and among beneficiaries.
Performance and analyzed their CARE staff:
Tracker (PPT) own data Significantly increased CARE scaled up
collaboration PPT approach
Became more to 5,000 groups
motivated to adopt throughout the
activity CARE staff: in 8 different
behaviors Improved countries
Beneficiaries CARE staff: management decisions
and CARE staff: Adapted the PPT
Recognized the value as an internal Improved their
in collaboration management tool relationship with
the community

4. Cultivating the CLA Enabling Environment: USAID Uganda’s Mission of Leaders Program (Case #62)

Development Challenge/Opportunity: Uganda, like many places where USAID works, continues to face multi-faceted
development challenges despite decades of foreign aid. Conditions at USAID/Uganda, such as the high rate of Foreign
Service Officer and leadership turnover, can exacerbate the problem.

CLA Approach: To more effectively address the development obstacles faced by Uganda, the mission institutionalized a
“Mission of Leaders” approach, which aims to equip all staff with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for CLA in service

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 35
of achieving better development outcomes. A few of the components of the Mission of Leaders include professional
development opportunities such as executive coaching and leadership training. Additionally, the mission hired external
CLA support via the hiring of consultants to assist with various phases of Mission of Leaders. Mission leadership
consistently made CLA a priority by ensuring the availability of funds.

ORGANIZATIONAL
AND/OR SCALE-UP OF
DEVELOPMENT CLA APPROACH
OUTCOMES OR PRODUCT

CLA approach Buy-in and Continue or

implemented ownership of increase use of
Mission of Leaders i CLA approach CLA approach
s a multi-pronged Leadership commit- Case does not
approach that equips ted to carrying document this
staff with knowledge, forward the Mission explicitly
skills, and attitudes to of Leaders approach 5 partner
continuously learn and Staff collaboratively Staff have organizations either
adaptively manage developed a increased their implemented
Illustratively, Mission leadership behavior engagement or expressed
hosts workshops to charter outlining and confidence interest in
improve interpersonal what leadership in leadership using Insights
skills using the looks like at every Discovery
personality diagnostic level of the mission.
Insights Discovery
For the full list of
CLA approaches
please see the case

How does the Literature Support This Finding?

Notably, the literature review did not uncover any additional evidence supporting this finding. Because almost one-
third of the cases document a similar pattern, it may warrant further exploration in future literature reviews and case
competition analyses for 2016 and beyond.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 36
IV. IMPLICATIONS
AND CONSIDERATIONS
For USAID and Implementing Partner Staff
Start with key priorities, but work toward establishing a more balanced holistic approach to integrating CLA within
programs and organizations.

As described above, every case included reference to integrating CLA into the Program Cycle (design and implementation
of strategies, projects, and/or activities) and organizational enabling conditions (organizational culture, business processes,
and resource allocation). The implication for USAID staff and implementing partners is to consider both CLA building
blocks when determining their approach to CLA integration. Focusing simply on the “nuts and bolts” of CLA (i.e., testing
theories of change or taking time to pause and reflect) may not be productive if there is no openness among team
members to discuss tough questions or limited resources for effective facilitation. In this way, the building blocks of the
framework work hand-in-hand, reinforcing each other and further CLA integration.

Investing in CLA bears results. But are we willing to invest?

The cases demonstrate how an intentional, systematic, and even minimally resourced approach to CLA can bear results.
While there is no counterfactual to these cases or a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis, initial findings emphasize
that CLA can add value; the findings provide specific examples of how CLA approaches can lead to results, including
organizational and development outcomes and even scale-up of development interventions and/or the CLA approach.

Given this, USAID staff and implementing partners may want to consider their current investment in CLA approaches
and identify where additional investments may add even greater value. These investments could be relatively minimal—
using existing staff expertise and refocusing staff time to include opportunities for reflection and learning—or more
substantial, including hiring learning advisors or instituting knowledge management platforms. For more on ways to
support CLA, see here.

Facilitate, rather than create, development.

This analysis also highlight how CLA promotes local engagement and local ownership to improve the success of
development programming. Locally led development had far-reaching implications for USAID staff and partners. It
helped create realistic expectations about how quickly results could be achieved and the time required to build
relationships and engage local actors in defining their agenda. The case findings support and illustrate principles in
USAID’s updated ADS 201 guidance that greater collaboration with local actors during the early stages of project/
activity design helps to ensure approaches are locally driven. They also underscore how taking a facilitative approach—
one that focuses during implementation on indirect interventions at strategic points within a system—can help ensure
better development outcomes. These findings are also reflected in existing research on local engagement and
ownership in the development literature (see EB4CLA literature review).

Create opportunities for others to experience and learn about effective collaborating, learning, and
adapting, at the individual, team, and organizational levels.

Based on several of the cases, “experiencing is believing.” Those who experience CLA are more likely to integrate it
into how they operate. CARE, for example, through its Participatory Performance Tracker, demonstrated the power of

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 37
‘experiencing is believing,’ as both community members and staff increased their use of CLA in the case after they
experienced its benefits.

Several cases show that when stakeholders learn about positive outcomes linked to a CLA approach in another
organization, they adapted the approach to their context. By effectively modeling CLA, organizations can perhaps more
credibly share its benefits with other development actors and inspire them to integrate CLA into their own work. In
USAID/Uganda, for example, when other implementing partners witnessed the positive changes in the mission from
the Mission of Leaders initiative, they decided to integrate certain aspects of it into their own work. These CLA ripple
effects would not have been possible without USAID/Uganda modeling CLA or CARE providing staff and beneficiaries
opportunities to experience a CLA approach across its activities and partner organizations.

For Future Case Competition Analyses and Areas of Research

Future case competition analyses can build on and refine these findings, explore questions that arise from it, and provide
cumulative learning across the annual CLA case competitions. The following areas warrant further exploration:
• More detailed, contextualized information about CLA approaches in action as well as a cross-case analyses of the
strengths and limitations, factors influencing success, and lessons learned from these efforts
• CLA contributions to outcomes by interviewing stakeholders and reviewing case-related documents (e.g., activity
evaluations and reports)
• Changes over time in understanding and use of CLA, changes in level or type of integration within organizations,
and longer-term impacts of CLA practices on organizational performance and development outcomes

In addition, future research beyond the case competition would produce valuable information, for example, an
exploration of why some CLA practices and approaches are used more often than others (e.g., external collaboration
vs. scenario planning) or an examination of the relationship between investments in CLA and related benefits
(e.g., organizational changes and/or development outcomes).

When adapted appropriately to a specific development context, the cases here demonstrate that CLA makes sense.
When organizations integrate effective collaborating, learning, and adapting into their work, positive changes can happen
both within and externally to the organization. Ultimately, CLA aims to help us achieve better development results and
the synthesis of the cases here sheds light on exactly what successful CLA looks like “on the ground.”

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 38
Endnotes
1. See Annex 1 for the case competition scoring rubric.
2. Thomas, David (2006). A general inductive approach for analyzing qualitative evaluation data. American Journal of Evaluation, 27 (2),
237–246.
3. See Annex 4 for the TOC and results chain framework used for this analysis as well as an example of two coded cases.
4. Note that there were no cases in the 2015 case competition that conducted scenario planning, the fourth subcomponent under
Learning in the CLA framework.
5. Please note that for the purposes of ensuring ease of understanding for the readers, the authors of this paper have decided to avoid
showing examples of the resources subcomponents (mission resources; CLA in implementing mechanisms) and have decided to
instead highlight the Resources component of the CLA framework.
6. Kania, J., & Kramer, M. (2011). Collective impact. Stanford Social Innovation Review. https://ssir.org/articles/entry/collective_impact
Gemmel, L. (Ed.) (2014). Collective Impact Edition. The Philanthropist, 26 (1). http://www.collaborationforimpact.com/wp-content/
uploads/2014/07/The-Philanthropist-Vol-26-No-1-2014.pdf
Todeva, E., & Knoke, D. (2005). Strategic Alliances and Models of Collaboration. Management Decision, 43 (1). http://epubs.surrey.
ac.uk/1967/1/fulltext.pdf
7. Todeva, E. & Knoke, D. (2005).
8. Austin, J. R. (2003). Transactive memory in organizational groups: The effects of content, consensus, specialization, and accuracy on
group performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88, 866–878.
9. Cross, R., Rebele, R., & Grant, A. (2016). Collaborative overload. Harvard Business Review, Jan/Feb, 74–79.
Andersson, K. (2003). Motivational dilemmas in collaborative learning activities: The case of the Swedish International Development
Cooperation Agency (SIDA). Public Administration and Development, 29 (5), 341–351.
10. Booth, D., & Unsworth, S. (2014). Politically smart, locally led development. Overseas Development Institute Research Reports and
Studies.
https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/9158.pdf
11. Faustino, J., & Booth, D. (2014). Development entrepreneurship: How donors and leaders can foster institutional change. Working
Politically in Practice Series, Case Study No. 2. London: The Asia Foundation and Overseas Development Institute.
Booth, D. (2016). Politically smart support to economic development: DFID Experience. Overseas Development Institute Research
reports and Studies. London: Overseas Development Institute.
Drew, R. (2002). Learning in Partnership: What constitutes learning in the context of south-north partnerships? BOND Discussion
Paper. London: British Overseas NGOs for Development.
12. Ribière, V. M., Román, J. A. (2011). Knowledge flow. Encyclopedia of Knowledge Management, 549–559.
Jennex, M. E. (2008). Knowledge Management Concepts, Methodologies, Tools and Applications, 1086–1095. Hershey, PA: Information
Science Reference.
Becerra-Fernandez, I., Gonzalez, A., and Sabherwal, R. (2004). Knowledge Management: Challenges, Solutions, and Technologies.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice-Hall.
13. Ramalingam, B. (2005). Implementing Knowledge Strategies: Lessons from international development agencies. Overseas
Development Institute Working Paper 244.
Cummings, J. (2003) Knowledge sharing: A review of the literature. OED Working Paper. Washington, D.C.: World Bank.
Barnard, G. (2003) Knowledge Sharing in Development Agencies: Knowledge fortress or Knowledge Pool? Information Development,
19 (4), 280–288
King, K., & McGrath, S. (2003). Knowledge Sharing in Development Agencies: Lessons from Four Cases. OED Working Paper (2003)
Washington, D.C.: World Bank.
Bubwolder, P., & Basse, F. (2016). An Empirical Study on the Effect of Knowledge Management Ramp-up Performance in the SME Sector,
108. European Conference on Knowledge Management. Kidmore End: Academic Conferences International Limited.
14. “Ramp-up” performance is a term used in economists to describe an increase in production ahead of anticipated increases in product
demand.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 39
 Bubwolder, P., & Basse, F. (2016). An Empirical Study on the Effect of Knowledge Management Ramp-up Performance in the SME Sector,
108. European Conference on Knowledge Management. Kidmore End: Academic Conferences International Limited.
15. Bubwolder, P & Basse, F. (2016)
16. Note that in a USAID context, this may be more often referred to as monitoring, not evaluation.
17. Mercy Corps. (undated). Managing Complexity: Adaptive management at Mercy Corps. https://d2zyf8ayvg1369.cloudfront.net/sites/
default/files/Adaptive%20management%20paper_external.pdf
Valters, C., Cummings, C., & Nixon, H. (2016). Putting learning at the centre: Adaptive development programming in practice. Overseas
Development Institute. London: Overseas Development Institute.
Allan, C., & Curtis, A. (2005) Nipped in the bud: Why regional scale adaptive management Is not blooming. Environmental
Management, 36 (3), 414.
Jones, l. (2011). Towards a holistic conceptualization of adaptive capacity at the local level: Insights from the local adaptive capacity
framework. Working and Discussion Paper. Overseas Development Institute.
18. Sarkisova, Elina. Is Feedback Smart? Fund for Shared Insight, June 2016. http://feedbacklabs.org/summits/wp-content/
uploads/2016/07/FBL_SmartPaper_Final.pdf

Web Resources (in order of appearance)

1. CLA Maturity Tool: https://usaidlearninglab.org/library/collaborating%2C-learning%2C-and-adapting-cla-framework-and-maturity-
matrix-overview
2. ADS 201 Guidance: Program Cycle Operational Policy: https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1870/201.pdf
3. About the Case Competition: https://usaidlearninglab.org/cla-case-competition#1
4. About USAID LEARN: https://usaidlearninglab.org/learn-contract
5. What Difference Does Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting Make to Development? Key Findings from a Recent Literature Review:
https://usaidlearninglab.org/library/what-difference-does-collaborating%2C-learning%2C-and-adapting-make-development-key-
findings-our
6. The Facilitation Approach at USAID: A Discussion Paper: https://usaidlearninglab.org/sites/default/files/resource/files/the_
facilitation_approach_at_usaid_07.28.2015.pdf
7. Participatory Performance Tracker: http://www.care.org/sites/default/files/documents/PPT%202pager.pdf
8. Outcome Mapping: http://www.betterevaluation.org/plan/approach/outcome_mapping
9. Collaboration for Impact: http://www.collaborationforimpact.com/
10. Uganda Guide to Improving the Quality of Safe Male Circumcision: https://www.usaidassist.org/sites/assist/files/uganda_guide_to_
improving_the_quality_of_smc_a4_feb2015_ada.pdf
11. Insights Discovery: https://www.insights.com/products/insights-discovery/
12. “There’s no money for that.” Three Ways to Resource Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting: https://usaidlearninglab.org/lab-
notes/%E2%80%9Cthere%E2%80%99s-no-money-that%E2%80%9D-three-ways-resource-collaborating%2C-learning%2C-and-
adapting
13. EB4CLA Literature Review: https://usaidlearninglab.org/sites/default/files/resource/files/eb4cla_literature_review_20160831.pdf

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 40
ANNEX 1

Case Competition Judging Rubric

Clarity (weight=*2) Analysis Completeness Creativity Replicability
Does the case story Does the case story Does the case story Does the case story Does the case story
reflect the overall theme reflect on the relative include multiple describe an innovative present practical
of the challenge? Does it strengths and weakness- stakeholders’ approach or novel approaches, lessons
clearly illustrate how a es of the tool/approach perspectives (e.g., adaptation of an learned, or advice that
CLA activity or approach used? Does the case a USAID Mission, IP, established methodology? others can use to
was used and what the story identify key lessons and other beneficiaries/ Does the case story incorporate CLA into
outcome was? that can be used to stakeholders)? present the activity their work?
improve future practice? or experience in a
creative way?

3 The case strongly reflects The case provides The case includes Most importantly, the The case story’s
the overall theme of the thoughtful and detailed multiple stakeholders’ case clearly describes an approaches, lessons
challenge. It clearly reflection on the perspectives, using innovative approach or learned, and/or advice
illustrates how a CLA relative strengths and quotes or other novel adaptation of an are presented in a
activity or approach weaknesses of the tool/ paraphrased remarks. established methodology. straightforward and
was used and what the approach used. It clearly For a 3, it’s also practical way that would
outcome was, using identifies several key presented in a creative encourage others to
specific examples. lessons that can be or unique way. adopting them in their
used to improve future own work.
practice.

2 The case reflects the The case provides The case includes at The case describes an The case story presents
overall theme of the some reflection on the least one stakeholder’s innovative approach or practical approaches,
challenge. It illustrates relative strengths and perspective, using quotes novel adaptation of an lessons learned, and/or
how a CLA activity or weaknesses of the tool/ or other paraphrased established methodology. advice in a general way
approach was used and approach used. It clearly remarks. For a video submission, that would be replicable
what the outcome was identifies at least one the storyboard is in some cases.
in a general way. key lesson that can be structured in a
used to improve future compelling way.
practice.

1 The case loosely reflects The case provides s The case includes at The case describes an The case story presents
the overall theme of the ome reflection on the least one stakeholder’s innovative approach but only one practical
challenge. It illustrates relative strengths and perspective (beyond is not clearly connected approach, lesson learned,
how an activity or weaknesses of the the author). to established/proven or piece advice that
approach was used and tool/approach used. methods. For a video could potentially be used
what the outcome was, It provides general submission, the structure by others.
but fails to make explicit commentary on how it is not particularly
reference to C, L, or A. might improve future creative.
practice.

0 The case does not The case does not The case does The case described is The case story does not
reflect the overall theme reflect on the relative not include multiple not innovative nor present any practical
of the challenge. It strengths and stakeholders’ creatively adapted approach, lesson
illustrates how an activity weaknesses of the perspectives. from an established learned, nor advice that
or approach was used tool/approach used. methodology. could be used by others.
but fails to give much It provides general
detail on the outcome. commentary on how it
might improve future
practice, or none at all.

BONUS: Written submissions: 1 bonus point will be awarded per relevant supplemental photo, graphic, or video clip.
Video storyboard submissions: 1 to 3 bonus points will be awarded based on the relative feasibility of video production.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 41
ANNEX 2

CLA Case Competition Form

Case Story Template

Before submitting your entry, please carefully read the Guidelines, Criteria, and Writing Tips for case stories available
on USAID Learning Lab at (old reference). Use the case story template below to help you develop your submission,
following the guiding questions. Although some questions may not be applicable to your case, please try to respond as
completely as possible. Also make sure you do not exceed the maximum word limit for each question, although you are
free to write less. Save your story as a Word file.

To submit your case story, click on the ‘Case Story’ button, complete the Author Information section of the online form,
and upload your story and any supporting materials in the spaces provided. Check the Release checkbox, complete the
Captcha, and click the save button to submit your case story before the deadline of August 14, 2015 at 5:00 pm EDT.
For any questions, please contact submissions @ usaidlearninglab.org.

Guiding Question

Case Title * (10 word limit).

What is the general context in which the story takes place? * (250 word limit)
Set the scene by providing some background details about the country and/or activity context. Was the CLA activity part of a
larger project or initiative? Who were some of the key stakeholders involved?

What was the main challenge/opportunity you were addressing with this CLA approach or activity? *
(500 word limit)
What prompted your organization to undertake this activity or implement this approach? Was there a particular opportunity
for new or improved collaboration, learning, and/or adapting? Or was there a problem or pain point you were trying to solve?

Describe the CLA approach or activity employed * (600 word limit)

What were the objectives or anticipated outcomes of the CLA initiative? What were the main strategies, tools, or
methodologies used to carry out this approach or activity? Was it something new, or did you amend/improve an existing
process or activity to promote stronger collaborating, learning, and/or adapting? Was it a one-off action, ongoing, or recurring
over time? Who was involved?

Were there any special considerations during implementation (e.g., necessary resources or enabling factors)? *
(500 word limit)
Describe the critical success factors or particular implementation challenges. Did you need any special tools or skills? What
type of resources (e.g., financial and/or non-financial) were required? Were there any conditions or factors (e.g., leadership
buy-in) that contributed to or inhibited implementation?

What have been the outcomes, results, or impacts of the activity or approach to date? * (300 word limit)
Have you been able to qualitatively track or measure any outcomes, results, or impacts of the activity or approach thus far?

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 42
What have you seen? Did you use any particular M&E methodology? If you do not yet have any noticeable outcomes or results,
what are you doing to monitor the value provided by the approach or activity?

What were the most important lessons learned? * (300 word limit)
How will your organization use this experience moving forward? If others wanted to implement a similar approach or activity, is
there anything they should consider? What worked or did not work?

Any other critical information you’d like to share? (250 word limit)
Use this optional space to provide any additional information not already included.

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 43
ANNEX 3

Detailed Case Coding

Please visit this link: to review the scoring of the cases. Please note that the coding has been organized by the CLA
framework. For additional questions, contact Kristin Lindell, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning Specialist
with LEARN/PPL, at [email protected].

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 44
ANNEX 4

Emerging Findings Coding

The table below provides illustrates the process the analysis team used to document results chains in each case and
then identify patterns among all cases. Firstly, the team recorded why a CLA approach was needed. Next, they
provided details about the CLA approach and summarized the main subcomponent reflected in the approach. Then
the team charted out the chain of events leading to the outcomes highlighted in the case. As a final step, the team
reviewed each of the coded cases for patterns in the types of approaches used, the types of outcomes achieved, as well
as any other nascent trends. This analysis led to the development of the five findings presented in the report (Linking
CLA Approaches to Outcomes).

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 45
Illustrative Examples of Emerging Findings Coding Process

WHY WAS A CLA WHAT STEPS WERE

CLA APPROACH FRAME- TAKEN TO ACHIEVE T
NEEDED? CLA APPROACH WORK HE OUTCOMES? OUTCOMES

Mapping a Crisis: AidData Students Respond to Nepal Earthquake

After the 2015 Students crowdsourced Knowledge 1. Students trained in platform Creation of open street
earthquake in data from a variety of Manage- 2. Students and mappers map club to equip other
Kathmandu Valley of online sources to create ment populate maps using students to assist in the
Nepal, partners on the maps with critical incoming data next disaster.
ground needed rapid, information about Helped agencies with
up to date maps of the earthquake damage. This 3. More than 111,000 updates
to the Nepal map decision making and/or
destruction to best data was shared with situational awareness.
allocate resources. partners on the ground 4. Data delivered via an online
via AidData to respond to portal in usable formats
the humanitarian crisis. to partners
5. Partners provided feedback
to improve the quality of
the data
6. Partners use data to drive
decision-making

Developing Country-Specific Gender Monitoring Indicators for Men and Women

Through its work in the CARE brought together 5 Pause & 1. CARE did a midterm Better reporting on
agriculture sector, country offices to reflect Reflect evaluation impact.
CARE aims to challenge on measuring changes in 2. CARE Requested help Improved gender
traditional gender gender relations and roles through the Technical and strategies and program-
norms. Findings from a over the course of a one- Operational Performance ming.
qualitative midterm week workshop. Through Support (TOPS) Program
assessment provided a a participatory, iterative The process has been
to help reinforce learning taken up by other
unique opportunity for process, staff refined a from the midterm
CARE to reflect on series of behavior change programs, including
how best to measure indicators that had come 3. Team members from five two USAID-funded
whether their work from the midterm Pathways countries and initiatives,
was impacting gender assessment. invited gender specialists
relations in the took part in the March
agriculture sector. 2015 workshop in Lilongwe,
Malawi
4. Over three days, participants
worked on refining and
re-organizing this data
to develop appropriate
behavior-change indicators
around gender and social
norms
5. At the end of the workshop,
the whole team collectively
agreed on a monitoring time
frame, format, and reporting
process

COLLABORATING, LEARNING, AND ADAPTING: AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT CLA LOOKS LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING 46