Logic Model Description
A logic model is a systematic way to present the major components of a program, including
planning, management, and evaluation. A logic model is a diagram (and accompanying text)
that describes the key causal relationships among program elements and the problem to be
solved. It draws a direct relationship between the activities that are undertaken with the longterm impacts that are trying to be achieved and helps gain clarity on “what we do”
(activities/outputs) versus what we are trying to achieve (outcomes/impacts). Logic models
attempt to show the links in a chain of reasoning about "what causes what" in relationship to the
desired outcome or goal. Below is a basic conceptual diagram of a logic model.
Building logic models to give the Council direction for the
next 5 years and beyond…
The Council has identified three goals to be the focus of our next 5-year Action Plan:
1) Gulf of Maine marine ecosystem is healthy.
2) Environmental conditions in the Gulf of Maine support optimum human health.
3) Gulf of Maine Economies are healthy and sustainable.
We know our goals, why do we need logic models?
A logic model can help us figure out what actions to take to move towards attaining our goals.
It’s a realistic plan for how to get there.
Definition: A logic model is a visual depiction of what and how a program produces an
outcome. It’s a measurable plan of how to move towards a long-term goal by planning activities
that will cause the change you want to see in the state of the issue.
What does it look like?
Resources
Activities or inputs
Outputs or products
Short-term (immediate) outcomes (knowledge,
skills & abilities)
Mid-term outcomes (behavior change, application,
skill/tool transfer)
Long-term outcomes (results or
change/improvement in issue or effectiveness)
What are the pieces of a logic model?
• Long-term Outcomes – the intended ultimate impacts of the project on the issue/state of
the environment.
•
Mid-term Outcomes – the expected impacts on the audience’s behavior because of the
projects.
•
Short-term Outcomes – the immediate impacts of the project activities (reactions, and
change in knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes immediately following exposure to
the project/activity).
•
Activities – what the Gulf of Maine Council has to do or provide in order to achieve the
desired outcomes.
•
Outputs – physical products or services created as a result of the activity.
•
Resources: time, $, people, office space, utilities, equipment, supplies, management and
partner support needed to achieve the intended impact
Another way to look at logic models:
The purpose of (your program or project)
Is to produce/provide (activities, products)
To/for (target audience)
So that they (short-term or immediate outcomes, or learning)
And will be able to (mid-term outcomes, or application)
Resulting ultimately in (long-term outcomes, change to the issue).
How do you build a logic model?
Logic models we designed right to left because you need to know where you’re going before
you figure out how to get there.
Planning
Resources
Activities
Outputs
Short-term
Outcomes
Mid-term
Outcomes
Long-term
Outcomes
Implementation & Management
They are implemented left to right, using the resources, activities and output to effect change in
the audience’s knowledge, behavior and then actual change in the state of the issue we are
trying to impact.
Walk me through an example:
Let’s take Goal 1: Gulf of Maine Marine Ecosystem is Healthy. The Working Group has
identified several long-term outcomes, or changes we would like to see in issues related to the
ecosystem health of the GOM.
Long-term Outcomes:
1) Effect of invasive species on coastal and marine environment is minimized.
2) Regionally significant coastal habitat are restored and support the desired functions and
values of the restoration work.
3) Effect of land-based activities on coastal environment is minimized.
4) Regionally significant coastal habitats are protected in a way that maintains habitat values
for the full suite of plant and animal species within the GOM.
STEP 1: What are the desired or expected outcomes? Let’s start with #2.
Desired long-term outcome: RSCH are restored and support the desired functions and values of
the restoration work.
Ask yourselves, “in order to get to that long-term outcome, I must first have this behavior change:”
(this is your mid-term outcome). Mid-outcomes could include:
• Landowners are restoring private lands.
• Partners invest funds in restoration of identified regionally significant coastal habitat.
Ask yourselves, “to get to that mid-term outcome, I must first have the following change in
knowledge/skills/abilities:”(this is your short-term outcome). Examples could include:
• Increase of public (law makers, NGOs etc) appreciation for and knowledge of RSCH.
• GOMC partners are knowledgeable of RSCH in GOM.
• Landowners are supportive of habitat restoration
• States/provinces incorporate RSCH priorities into restoration plans.
Now put this info into the model:
Short-term Outcome:
Increase of public
(law makers, NGOs
etc) appreciation for
and knowledge of
RSCH.
GOMC partners are
knowledgeable of
RSCH in GOM.
Landowners are
supportive of habitat
restoration.
States/provinces
incorporate RSCH
priorities into
restoration plans.
Mid-term Outcomes:
Partners leverage and
invest funds in restoration
of identified RSCH.
Landowners are restoring
private lands.
Long-term
Outcome:
RSCH are restored
and support the
desired functions
and values of the
restoration work.
STEP 2: Identify the activities and outputs.
Ask yourselves, “what are the most effective activities, materials, information or other learning tools
that will help us move our audience from their current state to their desired state?” What activities do we
need to undertake to achieve our short-term outcomes?
Remember, activities and the outputs/products those activities produce should be able to be
accomplished/funded/coordinated by the Council and its subcommittees. You’re essentially
identifying the “actions” we can take to contribute to the long-term outcome and ultimate goal
of maintaining a healthy GOM ecosystem. These activities should be directly connected to the
short-term outcomes.
Some examples of activities and outputs identified by the Working Group (for your comment
and edit) include:
Activity: Define regionally significant coastal habitat (RSCH).
Output: Map of RSCH.
Activity: Prioritize RSCH for restoration (analytical).
Output: List of prioritized RSCH.
Activity: Identify RSCH that need to be restored (on the ground).
Output: Map RSCH that needs to be restored.
Activity: Develop habitat restoration plans.
Output: Plan.
Activity: Develop social marketing campaign on RSCH.
Output: Social marketing materials.
Activity: Create voluntary landowner program.
Output: Registry of land owners enrolled in voluntary program.
Now put these activities and outputs into your logic model.
Activities
(Council’s role):
Define RSCH
Long-term Outcome:
RSCH are restored and
support the desired
functions and values of the
restoration work.
Prioritize RSCH
for restoration
(analytical).
Identify RSCH that
need to be
restored (on the
ground).
Contractors map
RSCH that needs
to be restored.
Cost-benefit
(costs of specific
projects vs
ecological benes)
Develop habitat
restoration plans.
Develop social
marketing
campaign on
RSCH.
Outputs:
List of RSCH
Map of those
RSCH that need
to be restored.
Habitat
restoration plan.
Social
marketing
materials.
Registry of land
owners enrolled
in voluntary
program.
Create voluntary
landowner
program.
Short-term
Outcome:
Increase of public
(law makers, NGOs
etc) appreciation
for and knowledge
of RSCH.
Mid-term Outcome
Partners leverage and
invest funds in restoration
of identified RSCH.
Landowners are restoring
private lands.
GOMC partners are
knowledgeable of
RSCH in GOM.
Landowners are
supportive of
habitat restoration
States/provinces
incorporate RSCH
priorities into
restoration plans.
STEP 3: Identify needed resources.
Ask yourselves, “What resources are needed and/or available to accomplish activities and outputs we’ve
states will get us to our short-term outcomes?”
•
•
•
Financial needs: What is available through internal or action plan grants? How can you
get the difference by leveraging funds, or getting in-kind support?
Staff needs: What subcommittees or other partners are needed to accomplish activities?
Other needs: What office and admin resources or materials are needed?
Add this to the logic model on the left hand side and put it all together. See attachment 1.
Now read the logic model from left to right as an “if..then” statement and see if it makes sense.
YOU MIGHT ASK...
What about the projects our subcommittee has supported in the past? How do we incorporate
these so we can build on our previous projects and successes?
Subcommittees were formed to bring together a group of experts to tackle the issue of
importance to the Council and the Gulf of Maine. It’s quite possible that the activities you think
need to be accomplished to reach our goals are also those that fit into a logic model based on the
long-term outcomes we have identified for each goal. Activities you choose to put into the
model should enable the Council to change the audience’s knowledge, skills or abilities (shortterm outcome) to enable a change in behavior (mid-term outcome) and ultimately a change in
the state of the issue (long-term outcome). Work backwards from the long-term outcomes and
ask yourself what are the most important activities the Council should be funding and
coordinating to move us towards our ultimate goals.
OK, so we have our logic model, now how do we measure our success in working through it?
Measuring our performance with SMAART objectives
• In order to know if we are effectively making progress, we need to develop a way to
measure whether we’re achieving our outcomes.
•
Objectives should describe the intended impacts or results of the project on participants
and/or the issue.
•
In order to be effective, objectives need to be “SMAART” – that is:
Specific
Measurable
Ambitious
Audience
Realistic
Time-bound
•
SMAART objectives are nothing more than outcomes written in a way that can be
measured.
√ Objectives can be written for every short, mid and long-term outcome, but here we’re
going to focus on the short and maybe the mid-term outcomes.
√ The subcommittees will determine how far down the logic model the Council can have
an impact…we should only measure the Council’s progress based on what we as a
group can achieve. In other words, if we can have an impact on the short-term outcome
(change in knowledge, skills, abilities) then write a SMAART objective for the short-term
outcome. It may be that we will work in concert with partners to achieve the mid-term
outcome (change in behavior) and long-term outcome (change in the state of the issue),
and so we will hold off on measuring our contribution to the success of these outcomes
for now.
Here is an example of how to get towards a SMAART objective:
Not-so-SMAART objective: Increase awareness of habitats
A little SMAARTer: Professionals involved in coastal/marine habitat science area aware of the
Gulf’s regionally significant habitats.
*SMAART objective: After reading GOMC publications, 50% of professionals involved in
coastal/marine habitat science will be able to identify all 3 of the Gulf’s regionally significant
habitats by 2007.
This objective is SMAART because it is:
Specific: 3 of Gulf’s regionally significant habitats.
Measurable: 50% of professionals….identify 3 habitats.
Ambitious: We may know that only 20% of professionals can do this.
Audience: Professionals involved in coastal/marine habitat science.
Realistic: We know our GOMC pubs reach this community.
Time-bound: By 2007.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------YOUR ACTION:
For those goals and long-term outcomes to which you have been assigned based on your
expertise, please complete the following steps by February 21st:
1. Groundtruth mid-term and short-term outcomes explored by the Working Group that
are assigned to you because of your expertise,
2. Develop SMAART objectives for all short-term outcomes and those mid-term outcomes
for which the Council has a direct role, and
3. Identify activities, outputs and resources necessary to achieve those short-term
outcomes.
Logic Model Example for CTAP:
Long-term Outcome (= Goal from Vision Map)
Environmental Protection – Protect natural resources in conjunction with economic needs.
Protect natural resources and environmental health, including groundwater, aquifers,
wildlife and wildlife corridors.
Measures (should be specific, measurable, ambitious): no additional waters listed on
303(d) list for nutrients within 26 communities after 2008; no additional loss of areas of
significant habitat as defined by Wildlife Action Plan/Regional Conservation Plan/Local
open space plans after 2008; groundwater levels maintained based on analysis of well data
by NHGS.
Mid-term Outcomes (behavior change, application, skill/tool transfer)
Outcome: Development is Minimum Impact Design (MID)
Measure: By 2009, 30% of new developments in CTAP region communities incorporate MID
techniques. Percentage of development that incorporate MID techniques increases every
year, reaching 60-80% by 2012.
Outcome: Regulations are changed to require/promote MID techniques for water resource
protection, habitat protection, and air quality protection.
Measure: By 2009, three communities in CTAP region have adopted some MID regulations.
Number of communities adopting some MID regulations increases every year, with all
communities having adopted some MID regulations by 2012.
Outcome: Development is directed away from sensitive resources through site design and
through zoning.
Measure: By 2010, three communities in CTAP region have revised their zoning and site
design requirements to direct development away from sensitive areas. Number of
communities adopting some MID regulations increases every year, with at least 13 (50%) of
communities having adopted some zoning or site design regulations to protect sensitive
areas from development by 2013.
How relates to long-term outcome: MID allows for continued development and
economic growth, while protecting natural resources.
How relates to community survey: MID is direct response to a highest ranking need:
“Techniques for minimizing the adverse impact of future development.”
Short-term Outcomes (immediate changes in knowledge, skills, abilities)
Outcome: Developers, planning boards, conservationists and public have a common
understanding of the environmental impacts of development and how to reduce these effects
without creating a disincentive for positive economic development or (substantially)
increasing costs for municipalities.
Measure: By 2008, 60% of target audience surveyed can accurately answer 80% of questions
designed to gauge their understanding of MID.
Outcome: Appropriate model language for modifying zoning and subdivision/site plan
regulations to achieve MID are identified and agreed to by a diverse stakeholder group.
Measure: Stakeholder group reaches consensus on model language by end of 2007.
How relates to barriers/strategies exercise: Addresses barriers by establishing
common understanding among developers, planning boards, and conservationist of
the environmental impacts of development and how to reduce these effects.
Involvement of diverse stakeholders in developing solution should help to reduce
adversarial conditions.
Other barriers addressed: Education of public is necessary component because
public often needs to approve zoning changes and must support new approaches to
development for this effort to be successful.
Activities and Outputs or Products
(what has to be done to achieve short-term outcomes)
Activity: Convene a group of diverse stakeholders to develop/identify model language to
modify zoning and subdivision/site plan regulations, building off work by Regional
Planning Commissions in 2006 on various innovative land use approaches.
Output: Model zoning and subdivision/site plan regulation changes to accomplish MID.
Activity: Conduct educational workshops with planners, developers, conservationists and
other interested parties at both regional and local level, including an exercise to enable
participants to begin to internalize what they learn.
Output: Series of workshops with participation from at least 4 representatives from each
community, at least 10 developers, and at least 10 representatives of environmental
organizations. Obtain commitment from participants to implement at least 3 specific MID
techniques covered in the workshop. Follow-up with participants to support
implementation and obtain information on problems and successes.
Activity: Identify case studies in New Hampshire of implementation of MID techniques and
obtain specific information to support on-going educational efforts (e.g., where, zoning/regs
in place if relevant, design, costs, effectiveness).
Output: Detailed set of case studies available via website, used in promotional/education
materials, and used in educational workshops.
Activity: Provide assistance to developers and towns on plan review, design, and/or
engineering to support implementation of MID techniques and full-scale example
developments.
Output: Additional success stories and detailed case studies on MID approach.
Activity: Facilitate process of adopting model MID zoning and regulations in communities:
provide educational workshops, distribute informational materials, facilitate planning board
meetings to adapt model language for community, facilitate public meetings.
Output: Informational materials are developed and distributed to all members of
community. Model MID zoning and regulations are adopted in 4 communities by 2009.
Resources
(what resources are needed – staff, financial, other; and what resources already
exist)
TBD