Article type
Abstract
Background:
The Knowledge, Evidence and Learning for Development (K4D) program (2016-2022) aimed to improve the impact of UK government development policy and programs and produced more than 1200 rapid evidence reviews and 55 emerging issue reports and designed 45 in-depth learning journeys. K4D’s Rapid Evidence Reviews provided UK government staff with quality evidence in a short space of time, often reacting to critical and immediate issues, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. K4D’s Learning Journeys filled a much-needed gap in government learning and knowledge. In-depth, tailored, and accompanied learning sessions were facilitated by K4D to government staff around specific topics to build their knowledge and evidence base in a collaborative and engaging way.
Our Learning Journey approach:
Learning is critical for strategic adaptation, pivoting, and organizational improvement—especially in the fast-changing and complex arena of international development. The K4D Learning Journey approach provided government staff to convene, engage, deliberate, and learn through webinar series, action learning sets, or communities of practice focused on a complex issue or question relevant to their work. Learning Journeys were informed by K4D’s Rapid Evidence Reviews, external experts, bespoke learning products, and dialogue between staff honing their experiential knowledge. They were designed and delivered collaboratively by a multidisciplinary research, M&E, communications, and program management team.
Strengthening learning:
Analysis of K4D Learning Journeys shows that they have contributed to improved decision making by government staff. This was done through facilitating access to quality evidence, generating knowledge through dialogue, and sharing knowledge and building relationships within and across departments. Staff pointed to the ability to draw in expertise in ways they were not able to themselves, and the broad range of learning products deployed to support learning during and beyond the process.
Conclusions:
Evidence shows K4D shaped government decisions on the value of rapid response mechanisms such as K4D. The importance, therefore, of Learning Journeys as a method for providing and delivering knowledge, evidence, and learning to drive government decision-making needs to be considered critical to evidence-informed policy. The approach can be adapted and shaped intuitively to a program’s or organization’s needs.
The Knowledge, Evidence and Learning for Development (K4D) program (2016-2022) aimed to improve the impact of UK government development policy and programs and produced more than 1200 rapid evidence reviews and 55 emerging issue reports and designed 45 in-depth learning journeys. K4D’s Rapid Evidence Reviews provided UK government staff with quality evidence in a short space of time, often reacting to critical and immediate issues, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. K4D’s Learning Journeys filled a much-needed gap in government learning and knowledge. In-depth, tailored, and accompanied learning sessions were facilitated by K4D to government staff around specific topics to build their knowledge and evidence base in a collaborative and engaging way.
Our Learning Journey approach:
Learning is critical for strategic adaptation, pivoting, and organizational improvement—especially in the fast-changing and complex arena of international development. The K4D Learning Journey approach provided government staff to convene, engage, deliberate, and learn through webinar series, action learning sets, or communities of practice focused on a complex issue or question relevant to their work. Learning Journeys were informed by K4D’s Rapid Evidence Reviews, external experts, bespoke learning products, and dialogue between staff honing their experiential knowledge. They were designed and delivered collaboratively by a multidisciplinary research, M&E, communications, and program management team.
Strengthening learning:
Analysis of K4D Learning Journeys shows that they have contributed to improved decision making by government staff. This was done through facilitating access to quality evidence, generating knowledge through dialogue, and sharing knowledge and building relationships within and across departments. Staff pointed to the ability to draw in expertise in ways they were not able to themselves, and the broad range of learning products deployed to support learning during and beyond the process.
Conclusions:
Evidence shows K4D shaped government decisions on the value of rapid response mechanisms such as K4D. The importance, therefore, of Learning Journeys as a method for providing and delivering knowledge, evidence, and learning to drive government decision-making needs to be considered critical to evidence-informed policy. The approach can be adapted and shaped intuitively to a program’s or organization’s needs.