Design or planning framework, tools, templates which require or approaches which consistently show context and stakeholder analysis, including the consideration of the perspectives and knowledge of primary stakeholders and an analysis of power dynamics including issues of gender equality and equity.

Appraisal/selection process that requires designs to include systematic consideration of context and stakeholder analysis, evidence and research, and the perspectives and knowledge of primary stakeholders, including analysis of power dynamics and issues of gender equality and equity.

Guidance

Your approaches could include: an investment of time and resources into good contextual analysis prior to designing an initiative; seeking out existing data or experiences of other organisations; seeking the perspectives and experiences of primary stakeholders through key informant interviews, focus groups, surveys or PRA exercises.

Your design or planning framework, tools and templates could include: explicit sub sections or prompts in the design document template requiring contextual analysis including the identification of different primary stakeholder groups and an analysis of the power dynamics for each, reference to research or other evidence and how primary stakeholder’s perspectives were sought.

Your appraisal/selection process could include sub sections or criteria covering: an assessment of the adequacy of: contextual analysis; stakeholder analysis; the research or evidence used; and how the perspectives of primary stakeholders were sought.

A risk framework, risk management plan or approaches which assess and address risks for initiatives, including from a protection / safeguarding perspective.

Guidance

Your design template could include a requirement to compete a risk management matrix or analysis. Your appraisal/selection process could include sub sections or criteria covering an assessment of the risk analysis and management strategies. Protection/safeguarding is a critical area of practice to ensure we ‘do no harm’. To ensure protection/safeguarding is always considered in all risk assessments, your risk management matrix and your appraisal/selection process should explicitly include a section or criterion on protection/safeguarding.

There will be variation in the detail and complexity of risk analysis and risk management tools depending on the size and scope of your organisation and the initiatives, but there are accepted standard approaches. Your approach should always include consideration of protection/safeguarding risks regardless of the size or scope of your organisation or the initiative. You can download an example of a risk analysis and management tool in the Resources Section below.