Theories of Change for Digital Transformation in Government:
Resource Appendix
This resource appendix is a compilation of useful resources intended as a follow-on to the Digital Service Network’s (DSN) writing on theories of change (ToC) for digital transformation in government. Practitioners can use these resources to DIY their ToC after reading the essays.
This resource appendix is a compilation of useful resources intended as a follow-on to the Digital Service Network’s (DSN) writing on theories of change (ToC) for digital transformation in government. Practitioners can use these resources to DIY their ToC after reading the essays. This is a fluid document that we update as additional resources come across our radar.
Still not sure where to start? The DSN is here to help. Reach out hi@digitalservice.network to inquire about DSN staff hosting a session to help your digital service-focused team craft its very own ToC.
DSN ToC essay series
- Toward Sound, Explicit Theories of Change for Digital Service Teams: ToC
overview and value proposition - Essay 1: Crafting a Theory of Change for Digital Transformation in Government
- Essay 2: Wielding a Theory of Change for Digital Transformation in
Government
Toolkits for developing a ToC
- Comprehensive guidance and templates for building a theory of change from
the Annie E. Casey Foundation - Templates for developing a ToC from the Annie E. Casey Foundation
- ToC resources, examples, and practical advice from Annie E. Casey spin-off
Center for Theory of Change - Table outlining when and how to use a ToC from Annie E. Casey spin-off
Center for Theory of Change - Facilitation guide for running ToC development sessions from the Aspen
Institute - Step-by-step guidance on building a theory of change from New Philanthropy
Capital - Mechanisms – A missing component in your theory of change? from New
Philanthropy Capital - Free e-book and training resources on ToCs from SoPact
- Theory of Change TECHNICAL PAPERS: A Series of Papers to Support
Development of Theories of Change Based on Practice in the Field from
ActKnowledge - Theory of Change Guidance from UNDAF
- Mapping Change: Using a Theory of Change to Guide Planning and Evaluation
from Grantcraft - Strategies for overcoming the limitations of ToCs from the Annie E. Casey
Foundation
Digital service-specific ToC examples
- Canadian Digital Service
- Making the Canadian Digital Service Bolder by Marc-André Simard
- Evaluation of the Canadian Digital Service conducted in 2021 by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, which includes an outline of CDS’ ToC
Practitioner writing on ToCs
- Defining a ToC vs a Logic Model from Harvard Family Research Project’s The
Evaluation Exchange - Theories of Change: Time for a radical approach to learning in development:
report by Craig Valters on the practice and principles of building and using a
ToC - Unpacking the Theory of Change by Maoz Brown in Stanford Social
Innovation Review on how ToCs promote better evaluations - Why Change Needs a Theory by Cigdem Tongal
- A plan is not a strategy discussing the value of the strategy work that
underpins ToCs with Roger Martin in the Harvard Business Review - Introduction to Levers for Digital Service Groups by David Eaves, Tom Loosemore, and Lauren Lombardo
Academic literature on ToCs
- A Systematic Review of Theory-Driven Evaluation Practice From 1990 to 2009 Coryn et al, 2010
- Theory of Change: a theory-driven approach to enhance the Medical Research Council’s framework for complex interventions Silva et al, 2014
- Change theory and theory of change: what’s the difference anyway? Reinhol & Andrew, 2020
