Substantiating cause and effect is one of the great conundrums for those aiming to have a social impact, be they an NGO, social impact investment fund, or multinational corporation. All face the same quandary: how do you know whether, or how, you contributed to an observed social change? A wide range of impact evaluation methodologies exist to address this need, ranging from informal feedback loops to highly elaborate surveys. But generating useful and credible information in a timely and cost-effective way remains an elusive goal, particularly for organizations working in complex, rapidly evolving and diverse contexts.

Attributing Development Impact brings together responses to this challenge using an innovative impact evaluation approach called the Qualitative Impact Protocol (QuIP). This is a transparent, flexible and relatively simple set of guidelines for collecting, analysing and sharing feedback from intended beneficiaries about significant drivers of change in their lives. Innovative features include the use of ‘blindfolded’ interviewing to mitigate pro-project bias, and the application of a flexible coding system to make analysis and reporting faster and more transparent.

The QuIP has now been used in seven countries (Ethiopia, India, Malawi, Mexico, Tanzania, Uganda and UK) with activities to promote food security, rural livelihoods, factory working conditions, medical training, community empowerment and microcredit for house improvement. This book includes comprehensive ‘how to’ QuIP guidelines and practical insights based on case studies from these countries into how to address the numerous methodological challenges thrown up by impact evaluation.

Essential reading for evaluation specialists within NGOs, governments and donor agencies; social impact investors; community development practitioners; and researchers and students interested in evaluation methodologies.

• Cover 1
• Title Page 4
• Copyright Page 5
• Table of Contents 6
• List of figures, tables, and boxes 10
• Acknowledgements 13
• Foreword 14
• 1. Introducing the causal attribution challenge and the QuIP 18

• Introduction 18
• How the book is organized and how to use it 22
• An overview of the QuIP 23
• The backstory of the QuIP and this book 35
• References 41
• 2. Comparing the QuIP with other approaches to development impact evaluation 46
• Introduction 46
• Defining the field of impact evaluation 47
• Comparing the QuIP with other approaches to impact evaluation 50
• Choosing between approaches to impact evaluation 59
• Conclusions 63
• Appendix: comparing the QuIP with 30 other approaches to impact evaluation 64
• References 71
• 3. A deep dive into Diageo’s malt barley supply chain in Ethiopia 76
• Introduction 76
• The study 78
• Findings 79
• Sample selection 85
• Political economy and public policy context 87
• Conclusions 88
• References 89
• 4. Improving working conditions in the Mexican garment industry 92
• Introduction: commissioner and project background 92
• The 2016 external evaluation 95
• Selected findings 98
• Interpreting the findings 99
• Conclusions 106
• References 108
• 5. Exploring the social impact of housing microfinance in South India 112
• Introduction 112
• The India context and a profile of the selected MFIs 114
• The QuIP evaluation study 119
• Illustrative findings 121
• Discussion 128
• References 131
• 6. Faith-based rural poverty reduction in Uganda 134
• Introduction 134
• The theory and practice of Church and Community Mobilisation (CCM) 136
• The QuIP study in Uganda 138
• Illustrative findings 144
• Discussion and conclusions 152
• References 155
• 7. Harnessing agriculture for better nutritional outcomes in southern Tanzania 158
• Introduction 158
• The QuIP study 164
• Findings 167
• Methodological reflections and conclusions 174
• References 181
• 8. Placing volunteer educators: the Global Health Service Partnership in Uganda, Tanzania, and Malawi 184
• Introduction 184
• The Global Health Service Partnership 185
• The QuIP study 186
• Illustrative findings 190
• Reflections 198
• Appendix: questionnaire outline for student interviews and focus group discussion 201
• References 203
• 9. Adapting the QuIP for use with local authorities in England: bending but not breaking 206
• Introduction 206
• The two QuIP pilot studies: selection of approach and scope of study 207
• Methodological adaptations of the QuIP in Bristol and Frome 213
• Conclusions 219
• References 224
• 10. Analysis and conclusions 226
• Introduction 226
• QuIP commissioners: purpose, priors, and priorities 229
• Reasons for using the QuIP and its links with other sources of evidence 230
• Designing QuIP studies: timing, scope, and sampling 232
• Implementing QuIP studies: data collection and analysis 235
• From evidence to use: workshops, decisions, and dissemination 236
• The QuIP as a case of institutional innovation 241
• Towards more agile evaluation and adaptive development practice 244
• Appendix: case study themes 246
• References 252
• Annex: Qualitative Impact Protocol (QuIP): guidelines 256
• Introduction 256
• Overview 256
• Designing a study 262
• Carrying out QuIP fieldwork 269
• Data analysis and use 272
• Glossary of key terms 280
• Index 286
• Back Cover 298

‘QuIP is well geared to do what it promises: it offers a simple, transparent method to deliver timely, cost-effective and credible causal attributions. And it is well grounded. The theory, history and case studies in this book show why we can trust that it can do what it says. QuIP is a really welcome contribution to methodology for causal inference.’
Nancy Cartwright, Distinguished Professor, UCSD; Professor of Philosophy, Durham University; Co-Director of CHESS, Durham University

'The assessment of complex interventions is defined by the need to make difficult trade-offs: time, money, talent and support always seem inadequate. But such pressures only intensify the need for good theory, breadth of experience, depth of commitment to professional standards, and giving stakeholders a reasoned basis on which to act. The strategies and cases outlined in this insightful book demonstrate how this can be realized in practice. The Qualitative Impact Protocol enables applied social science to do its job: to faithfully uphold accountability norms while generating sound and useable conclusions.'
Michael Woolcock, World Bank and Harvard University

James Copestake
James Copestake lectures in economics and international development at the University of Bath, UK. He has previously published research on the impact of microfinance in India, Southern Africa and Latin America.

Marlies Morsink
Marlies Morsink is Research Officer at the Department of Social and Policy Sciences, University of Bath. In the past year Marlies conducted action research into adapting QuIP for use by UK town councils.

Fiona Remnant
Fiona Remnant worked on research and development of the QuIP at the Centre for Development Studies before going on to co-found and run a non-profit research organisation, Bath Social & Development Research (BSDR), which continues to curate and develop the QuIP through consultancy and research.