Applying a Capacity-Results Framework in Lao PDR and Other Pilot Countries

Abstract

Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and poverty reduction objectives of developing countries requires a substantially greater investment in capacity development. This translates into action at three levels: improving the skills of individuals, developing organizational processes and systems, and creating an enabling environment that can support the achievement of these goals. The process of planning and implementing strategies for strengthening capacity can seem overwhelming for development practitioners. Unbundling the capacity elements into actionable components at the institutional, organizational, and individual levels and linking them to specific results can eliminate much of the perceived complexity that often accompanies the planning process. One way to begin is by using a capacity-results matrix to work through the process. Such a matrix is designed to help prioritize results, disaggregate capacity constraints, determine needed capacity interventions, and agree on indicators to measure progress.