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Once a particular intervention—a program or policy—has been identified, sound planning techniques can ensure that the program is implemented effectively. This chapter focuses on action planning—that is, planning for a defined program or policy with specific, time-dependent outcomes compared with ongoing planning that is a regular function within an organization. The chapter is organized in five main sections, designed to highlight ecologic frameworks, give examples of behavioral science theories that can increase the likelihood of carrying out effective interventions, review key principles of planning, outline steps in action planning, and describe important aspects of coalition-based interventions.

Policies and plans for resource and environmental management are needed, but if not implemented, or implemented poorly, their value is reduced. Experience suggests that we often struggle to achieve effective implementation. In this chapter, the implementation gap is examined, with the aim being to identify what are known expectations for successful implementation of policies and plans, which obstacles frequently hinder implementation, and what capacity is required for effective implementation. Subsequently, the difference between programmed and adaptive implementation is examined, followed by discussion of the role of different partnership and stakeholder arrangements to facilitate implementation. Detailed case studies of coastal management in Japan and of water policy implementation in the São Paulo state in Brazil provide further insights. Bakti Setiawan and Dwita Rahmi, in their guest statement, review the role of bureaucracy, politics, and leadership in establishing a protected agricultural area in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

A process evaluation aims to answer questions about the process of implementing interventions and to place outcome results or the results of trials of complex interventions into context. This helps to support the development of increasingly effective behaviour-change interventions by not only measuring primary outcomes such as changes in health behaviour but also understanding how the intervention has (or has not) brought about change. This chapter discusses issues relating to formative process evaluation and process evaluation; explores the research methods used; and discusses the integration of process and outcome data.

In its simplest terms, feedback is defined as the information about the result of an experiment or the modification of a process by its result. Thus, it might be said that evaluation is feedback. This chapter looks at the importance of disseminating research and evaluation results back to all participants in a project and focuses on the benefits of feedback to stakeholder participants from an ethical viewpoint, and to promote more effective implementation. It analyses the motivational effects of evaluation data being fed back to project implementers illustrated through a case study of feedback to antenatal care providers in Malawi.

This chapter evaluates the attempts of the U.S. government to implement the Hillary Doctrine. Three levels of effort are required in order to implement the Hillary Doctrine. The first is the legal and regulatory framework instituted by officials in Washington, D.C.; the second is program development and contracting, which bridges the U.S. government and recipient countries; and the third is the actual implementation of initiatives in-country. Although much has been achieved at the first level, serious gaps and inadequacies critically hamper efforts at the second and third levels, despite some real successes. Nevertheless, with the institutions, the obligations, and the accountability mechanisms in place, Hillary Clinton has laid a comprehensive and secure foundation for the continuation of the Hillary Doctrine.

This chapter defines “program consultation” and discusses how it helps schools expand services to address unique school needs, close gaps in service, and adopt promising new interventions. It examines how program infrastructures, interventions, processes, outcomes, and achievements help or hinder program goals. It discusses how screening and evaluating these components provides a systematic approach to program review, program design, and implementation fidelity that is linked to process and outcomes measures. The chapter includes a case example to illustrate the main concepts of program consultation. It discusses how the model is consistent with a targeted or Level II approach to RtI interventions. Suggested readings and resources are offered for the school social worker who wishes to learn more about program design theory and practice.

This chapter discusses how to get the most out of a sports analytics program. When establishing a plan for an investment in sports analytics, decision makers need to have a general understanding of the tools of analytics (data management, predictive analytics, information systems, and analytic leadership) and how the combination of these tools can lead to a competitive advantage. Once the use and potential benefits of analytics are understood, the planning for the implementation is possible. There are five basic principles that an organization can use to guide the implementation of analytics. This planning procedure will help the decision maker create a blueprint for a strong analytics program that maximizes competitive advantage. The five basic principles to follow in building the program are: (1) knowing the base from which the plan; (2) thinking big; (3) thinking organizationally; (4) defining the goals for the analytic investment; and (5) recognizing the fact that systems may not always function as desired or be ready when initially targeted, and moving forward anyway.

Greet participants as they enter and take attendance in a notebook—noting if on time, late, or absent. This ensures that you will quickly learn all participants’ names. Knowing names allows you to refer to participants by name, which is very positively reinforcing and increases engagement. If you need help learning names, photograph participants in Session 1; make photo nametags with names large enough for you to read and have participants pick them up at the beginning of each session (and leave them behind). Repeat names each time a person participates. This enormously increases engagement. Pay attention to the flow so that time will be adequate. Stick to the session theme by eliciting discussion focused on theme and weaving focus back to theme. This is not counseling or therapy. Do not delve deeply into a student’s life, problems, or issues. Do not go off on tangents about other information. This is not career counseling or academic guidance. Positively reinforce both speakers and listeners. Positive reinforcement is task oriented. It is specific and helps participants behave in ways that will help them stay in school. Positive reinforcement is not simply saying “good” or “great job!” or “interesting comment.” Positive reinforcement is specific; this means saying what was good or interesting about the job or comment. Examples would be (Session 1) “That was a good introduction; you gave a skill John has to succeed in next year in school.” Or (Session 10) “Great! Your group came up with questions instead of jumping right in with a solution.” Use the outline agenda as a structure guide for participants. Hang the agenda prior to the start of each session. Bring newsprint and writing material to each training session. Write participant responses on newsprint so their work in the session is visible. The newsprint serves to structure the flow and highlight themes. Responses that focus on themes relevant to the session should be organized physically on the page by placing content about a theme together without labeling and later labeling each theme as part of the connecting discussion.

This chapter lays down the structure and content summary of the book. It lays down the scope of the book’s examination of state capability weakness. It defines state capability as the ability of governments to get things done. The chapter points to the importance of state capability, especially in implementing public policies and programs that can help realize development outcomes. In this context, it draws the distinction between policy formulation and program implementation and briefly points to their respective deficiencies. It concludes by describing the scope of the book and also what it does not cover. Its discussion of state capability is confined to the capability of the executive branch of the government.

This chapter begins with a discussion of two cases where policies with “good evidence” went wrong: the Bangladesh Integrated Nutrition Project and the California Class-Size Reduction Program. It then sets out the book's purpose, which is to provide a general framework for understanding what went wrong in these two cases. This framework will provide readers with the kinds of questions that must be answered to make better predictions about whether a proposed program will work, and how and when to implement the program.

This chapter highlights the need for rigorous research in crafting viable and effective peacebuilding programs. Across the field, there is relatively little by way of sustained reflection, empirical data, or ethical guidelines that would help one navigate wicked ethical problems. This chapter is especially focused on research that privileges technical mastery and methodological sophistication while ignoring issues of context, the rights and moral standing of research subjects (including vulnerable civilians), and asymmetric power relations. The authors work at the Alliance for Peacebuilding, a central player in modern peacebuilding, with over 120 member organizations from across the humanitarian aid and development worlds, as well as major academic research institutions. The chapter lays out a set of practical guidelines for ethically informed research that underscores the need for conflict sensitivity, protections for vulnerable research populations, and clearer standards for program design, implementation, and monitoring.