The Role of Learning Partners in MEL Capacity Development

Abstract Information: Our Evaluation and Adaptive Learning team frequently serves as a learning partner to implementing agencies doing amazing work all over the globe. They have pressure to report against key performance indicators, but rarely have the time or capacity to structure their MEL systems in a way that returns quality learning back to the organization to improve their model. In order to deliver on the priority of internal learning, a learning partner like us might be brought in. In this panel, we would like to focus on the capacity development aspect of serving as a learning partner in particular. How do organizations continue learning cycles after their learning partnership ends? How does a team with limited time and resources, structure their evidence generation such that it can yield evidence-based decisions? To answer these questions we will feature three programs that have done just this in the recent past. Our presenters will share about a governance initiative which had global reach and unpredictable activities, but was still able to generate actionable learning. We will present on a government funded portfolio of tech pilots and how that team balanced the risk aversion of government programs with the innovation necessary to pilot new tech and 'fail fast' until a potential model is identified. Finally, we will share how we are embedding adaptive learning capacity with Ministries of Health in Africa to ensure that last mile health systems are meeting patient needs. With each of our examples, we hope to leave the audience with ideas about how to develop internal capacity for stronger evaluation and adaptive learning systems.