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Unity Effect
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Unity Effect
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Credible Claims in Complexity
Subtitle
Name | Date
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Unity Effect
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Unity Effect
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Menti results: Associations with
Regenerative Monitoring & Evaluation
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Unity Effect
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Expectations
(as shared in Menti survey)
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Unity Effect
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Housekeeping
About our workshop today
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Unity Effect
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Unity Effect
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Agenda
About our workshop today
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Unity Effect
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Unity Effect
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Learning & Experience Design
Thriving Teams & Leaders
Regenerative Measurement & Evaluation
Leading change from the inside out
Creating the conditions
in your team and organisation �to thrive and have agency in a dynamic world.
Unity Effect
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Unity Effect As…
Service Provider
Commissioned support for your specific needs. Typical engagement: day rates or project-based fees.
Resource Provider
Access our open source frameworks and tools, such as the Impact Garden and Capacity Compass.
Partner for Systemic Change
Co-create with us to deepen our impact together - from co-hosting events to applying for joint funding.
Unity Effect
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By the Numbers (since 2021)
143
external projects delivered
4,800+ participants reached
1,100+
hours facilitated
53 organisational partners
Unity Effect
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Some of our Partners & Clients
Unity Effect
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Personal Background
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Unity Effect
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Credible Claims
in Complexity -
core terms
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Unity Effect
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Unity Effect
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Complexity
(with the Cynefin framework)
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Unity Effect
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Claims
"A claim is a verifiable statement about the impacts, benefits, or qualities of an intervention, product, or system." (ISEAL Alliance)
Three types of claims:
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Type | What it is | Example |
Commitment Claim | An aspirational statement of purpose | Our project commits to improving primary education for girls in the region |
Performance Claim | A factual, static snapshot of the system's status at a specific point in time (“What is”) | 85% of girls are enrolled in primary school, but community trust in the school system is rated as 'Low'. |
Improvement Claim | A contribution claim asserting that the intervention has resulted in a positive change over time. | Since the start of the intervention, girls' school enrollment has increased by 10%. This improvement can be linked to our work. |
Unity Effect
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Credible Claims in Complexity
Improvement claims that follow certain principles:
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Unity Effect
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The Impact Garden
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Unity Effect
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Methodology
for Credible Claims
in Complexity
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Unity Effect
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Unity Effect
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The four dimensions of Credible Claims & Narratives
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Frameworks & Evaluation Design
Methods & Analytical Approaches
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Paradigm & Fundamental Principles
Credible Claims & Narratives
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Unity Effect
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The four dimensions of Credible Claims & Narratives
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Frameworks & Evaluation Design
The structure / tool used to conceptualise the system and desired changes. It determines what is visible (and invisible) in an evaluation.
Methods & Analytical Approaches
The specific tools and indicators used to gather evidence. It ensures tracking the right signals, not just the easiest ones.
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Paradigm & Fundamental Principles
The worldview and principles that guide the inquiry. It defines what we value and how we relate to the people we evaluate.
Credible Claims & Narratives
The synthesis of data into a defensible and factual narrative. It turns raw information into evidence and strategic insight.
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Unity Effect
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Anchoring Gender & Justice
Taking a gender-transformative and justice-oriented approach. Or: A system that extracts from its most vulnerable parts is degenerative by design
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Unity Effect
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How it connects to the global agenda
Bridging the Gap: From Global Ambition to Credible Evidence
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Unity Effect
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Aligning with the Future of Funding
Providing the evidence base that allows funders to move from project-based approaches to flexible, systemic support.
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Unity Effect
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The four dimensions of Credible Claims
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Impact Garden Framework
An M&E framework that maps the entire ecosystem - from “soil” (resources) to “pollination” (relationships) - rendering the full scope of value visible.
Measuring Systemic Vitality & Contribution
Metrics that track the system's capacity to sustain itself - e.g. via feedback loops.
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Regenerative Evaluation
A paradigm that approaches projects as living systems, focusing on monitoring and cultivating overall ecosystem health.
Credible Claims & Narratives
An evidence-backed narrative validating the specific contribution to systemic change, establishing rigor in complex environments.
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Unity Effect
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The Methodology Briefs
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Unity Effect
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The Methodology Briefs
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Unity Effect
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Note on Methodological Coherence
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Systemic Intent
Measurement Tools
Unity Effect
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Methodological Coherence
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Frameworks & Evaluation Design
Methods & Analytical Approaches
3
Paradigm & Fundamental Principles
Credible Claims & Narratives
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4
2
Unity Effect
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Methodological Coherence
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Frameworks & Evaluation Design
Methods & Analytical Approaches
3
Paradigm & Fundamental Principles
Credible Claims & Narratives
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4
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Alignment
Unity Effect
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The Paradigm Shift:
Regenerative Evaluation
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Unity Effect
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Unity Effect
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The four dimensions of Credible Claims
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Regenerative Evaluation
A paradigm that approaches projects as living systems, focusing on monitoring and cultivating overall ecosystem health.
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Unity Effect
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Background
How can the process of monitoring create energy rather than extracting it?
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Unity Effect
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Weaving together 3 strands of evaluation
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Unity Effect
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The 9 Principles of Regenerative Evaluation
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Unity Effect
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The Impact Garden
Framework
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Unity Effect
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Unity Effect
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The four dimensions of Credible Claims
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Impact Garden Framework
An M&E framework that maps the entire ecosystem - from “soil” (resources) to “pollination” (relationships) - rendering the full scope of value visible.
Regenerative Evaluation
A paradigm that approaches projects as living systems, focusing on monitoring and cultivating overall ecosystem health.
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2
Unity Effect
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The Impact Garden Framework
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Unity Effect
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Feedback loops within the Impact Garden
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Unity Effect
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The 7 systemic feedback loops
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The Vitality Loop | Function (What it does) |
1. Self- Reflection | Awareness. The system looks at itself to identify needs and tensions. |
2. Governance | Authority. The system makes decisions and changes its own rules. |
3. Capacity | Talent. The system generates and transfers the skills it needs. |
4. Resource | Nutrients. The system generates and manages material/financial resources. |
5. Cohesion | Trust. The system resolves internal conflict and strengthens relationships. |
6. Learning | Memory. The system captures lessons from the past to improve the future. |
7. Bridging | Exchange. The system connects to external markets, governments, communities or networks. |
Unity Effect
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The Vitality Matrix
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Unity Effect
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Key features of the Impact Garden
A framework to understand and measure the conditions for systemic change
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Unity Effect
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Measuring
Systemic Vitality
& Contribution
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Unity Effect
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Unity Effect
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The four dimensions of Credible Claims
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Impact Garden Framework
An M&E framework that maps the entire ecosystem - from “soil” (resources) to “pollination” (relationships) - rendering the full scope of value visible.
Measuring Systemic Vitality & Contribution
Metrics that track the system's capacity to sustain itself - e.g. via feedback loops.
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Regenerative Evaluation
A paradigm that approaches projects as living systems, focusing on monitoring and cultivating overall ecosystem health.
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2
Unity Effect
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Feedback loops within the Impact Garden
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Unity Effect
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Making Credible Claims
in Complexity
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Unity Effect
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Unity Effect
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The four dimensions of Credible Claims
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Impact Garden Framework
An M&E framework that maps the entire ecosystem - from “soil” (resources) to “pollination” (relationships) - rendering the full scope of value visible.
Measuring Systemic Vitality & Contribution
Metrics that track the system's capacity to sustain itself - e.g. via feedback loops.
3
Regenerative Evaluation
A paradigm that approaches projects as living systems, focusing on monitoring and cultivating overall ecosystem health.
Credible Claims & Narratives
An evidence-backed narrative validating the specific contribution to systemic change, establishing rigor in complex environments.
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4
2
Unity Effect
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Weaving all dimensions together
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Unity Effect
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Weaving all dimensions together
The Narrative:
"The project contributed to a 10% increase in girls' enrollment. This is a significant improvement when benchmarked against the national trend of stagnation (space) and moves the region closer to the universal primary education standard (standard)."
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Unity Effect
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Weaving all dimensions together
The Narrative:
"The project contributed to a 10% increase in girls' enrollment. This is a significant improvement when benchmarked against the national trend of stagnation (space) and moves the region closer to the universal primary education standard (standard)."
This increase was driven by a measured shift in the community's mindset regarding education and has established a reinforcing capacity loop: the first cohort of empowered parents (outcome) has formed an independent education committee (new resource).
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Unity Effect
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Weaving all dimensions together
The Narrative:
"The project contributed to a 10% increase in girls' enrollment. This is a significant improvement when benchmarked against the national trend of stagnation (space) and moves the region closer to the universal primary education standard (standard)."
This increase was driven by a measured shift in the community's mindset regarding education and has established a reinforcing capacity loop: the first cohort of empowered parents (outcome) has formed an independent education committee (new resource).
Crucially, the power dynamics have shifted. Decisions are no longer made by project staff, but are now fully driven by the mothers themselves. This transition to local leadership ensures that the process is both effective, fair and self-sustaining, meaning these gains are likely to persist long after our funding ends."
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Clarification Questions
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Living Case Example
How to apply the Impact Garden framework
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Unity Effect
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Unity Effect
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Intro: the context of emp:our now
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January 25, 2022: SEND e.V. secures EUR 1.6 million from Google.org’s Social Innovation Fund
Purpose: Strengthen Germany’s social entrepreneurship ecosystem and empower underserved communities
Dual Focus:
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Taking a regenerative approach
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Unity Effect
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Intention of evaluation & report
Unity Effect
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Intention of evaluation & report
Reflect on experiences, lessons, and impact
Unity Effect
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Intention of evaluation & report
Reflect on experiences, lessons, and impact
Address sector challenges for true inclusion
Map future pathways for underserved communities
Unity Effect
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Intention of evaluation & report
Reflect on experiences, lessons, and impact
Address sector challenges for true inclusion
Map future pathways for underserved communities
Unity Effect
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For funders and philanthropy
Investing into systemic change
Money to the people
Regenerative and participatory evaluation
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Invitations
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Unity Effect
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Unity Effect
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Regenerative Signal
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Gain the skills to make credible claims with methodological integrity.
Regenerative Signal includes:
…to embed regenerative practices into your organisational DNA.
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Implementing (parts of) the methodology
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Work with Unity Effect to implement the methodology into your evaluation practices and strategy.
We can support you with:
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Thank you
for your presence and participation
Unity Effect Connect UG (haftungsbeschränkt) - info@unityeffect.net - 0049 151 1002 7910 - www.unityeffect.net Thomas-Mann-Straße 36 - 53111 Bonn - Sitz Bonn, Deutschland - Amtsgerichts Bonn HRB 24848 Ust.-IdNr: DE 326729306 - Volksbank Köln Bonn eG - IBAN DE16380601864905190011 - BIC GENODED1BRS Geschäftsführung: Emily Johnston, Franziska Kohn
Jannik Kaiser
Co-founder & CEO, Unity Effect &
Co-Lead Regenerative Measurement and Evaluation
jannik@unityeffect.net
Erinda Panen Godesberg
Core Team Member, Unity Effect
Climate Change and Biodiversity Expert
erinda@unityeffect.net
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Unity Effect
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