Summarized highlights from “From Learning to Adaptation: Lessons Learned From Adaptive Programming and Use of Strategy Testing” | Nicola Nixon, Gopa Thampi

Adaptive programming is about testing a strategy rather than just being a management methodology: “Adaptive programming as testing a strategy, more than being just a particular management methodology”

It serves as a compass rather than a map: “Adaptive programming as a compass, rather than a map, a la Craig Valters paper re compass not map. Gopa emphasizes distinction between word and world”

There’s a significant gap between theory and practice: “Adaptive programming – gap between the dream/theory and the reality/practice of what’s possible given management/operational/accountability requirements”

It’s “not a panacea. It’s one piece – an important piece – of a bigger puzzle”

Need to connect related concepts: “Need to develop links between different innovations – adaptive programming, political economy analysis, systems thinking, localization”

The programming aspect is more important than management: “Adaptive management and adaptive programming – the programming is perhaps what matters most, the management can tend towards slightly bureaucratic approaches”

Learning processes are fundamental: “Learning processes and systems and mindsets to operate in this way are the ‘sovereign’, rather than technical solutions”

Qualitative data is particularly valuable: “What sort of data is most useful for informing adaptation? Data that provides information about the things that are thought to matter. So, qualitative data and the rubrics… are probably going to be most useful when we’re focused on relationships, trust, and behavioural and institutional change”

Frameworks help structure analysis: “Setting up an assessment framework, criteria, and rubrics, can provide useful support for participant observation, data collection and everyday political economy analysis”

Analysis at multiple levels is important: “Value of collecting data and conducting analysis at both macro and micro-system levels. Political context analysis is very micro-ecosystem focused, and enables you to get a better sense of whether and how macro-level changes are resonating”

More discussion needed about obstacles: “Need more conversations about what is holding back, standing in the way of, taking adaptive approaches”

Adaptation can have relationship costs: “Risk that if you adapt too suddenly, there can be tensions and trade-offs in terms of burning relationships (dropping people)”

Team culture matters: “Everyday political economy analysis, conversations, and team culture”

The Asia Foundation has developed tools: “Strategy testing workbook 10 years on, reviewing how things unfolded across different countries”

Adaptation requires clear purpose: “Adapting to what? The use of data to support reflection and adaptation”