In our work as a peacebuilding organisation, we often operate in restrictive and complex environments. Our interventions frequently focus on fostering changes in relationships and behaviour that ensure people and communities can fully exercise their rights—whether by addressing harmful gender norms that hinder people from flourishing, responding to the ongoing impacts of intergenerational trauma in post-conflict settings, or challenging the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes that can cause tension and division.
As a result, traditional quantitative metrics frequently fall short in capturing the subtle, transformative changes that underpin lasting peace and social cohesion. Many meaningful outcomes occur beyond the scope of conventional project logical frameworks and require more nuanced evaluation approaches.
Qualitative evidence of change
Cord is among a growing number of organisations adopting Outcome Harvesting to move beyond numbers and assess qualitative evidence of observable change in complex social and environmental contexts. This methodology enables us to document less tangible outcomes—such as shifts in attitudes, behaviours, or relationships—that are fundamental to sustainable, systemic improvements long after project interventions conclude.
At the core of Outcome Harvesting lie two critical roles:
- Social Actors: Individuals or groups whose behaviours or attitudes have demonstrably changed following an intervention. These observable changes represent the ‘harvest’ of our efforts.
- Change Agents: Individuals or organisations, often Cord or our partners, whose actions contributed directly or indirectly to enabling those changes.
In 2024, we documented and analysed 59 distinct changes across multiple thematic areas, providing a rich ‘crop’ of evidence illustrating the breadth and depth of impact achieved.
Our analysis reveals that Change Agents contribute in diverse and meaningful ways, including individual and organisational capacity building through training and coaching, financial support, or facilitating inclusive, shared spaces for dialogue and collaboration. Notably, it is often the combination of these efforts that generates the most durable and transformative impact.
Focusing on the behavioural changes of Social Actors allows us to assess not only the immediate outputs of our interventions but also the depth of understanding, confidence, and agency that these interventions cultivate. This insight is critical for fostering sustainable, longer-term change within communities and institutions.
Marika Pietsch, August 2025
