Learning is essential for delivering effectively in any field, especially in the fast-changing and complex arena of international development. In a world increasingly defined by uncertainty, vulnerability, and complexity, advances in development are constantly challenged by multiple crises, such as in climate, health and politics . To tackle these global challenges, it is vital to have access to timely and relevant learning, evidence, and insight.
Faced with increasingly complex programming and policy challenges, development organisations more than ever need to provide spaces for diverse perspectives, disciplines, departments, and experiences to come together. Research on organisational learning (OL) highlights the need for organisations to create opportunities for their staff to reflect on experience and external sources of evidence, generate new knowledge, test, and adapt to respond to changing contexts .
Furthermore, learning across teams and departments within organisations is required if we are to deliver on the cross-cutting challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the call to ‘leave no one behind’. Supporting learning as an organisational practice is therefore an essential ingredient of effective development practice in an uncertain and complex world.
Learning journeys: a tool for organisational learning
Building on IDS’ many years at the forefront of participatory research and learning approaches, IDS has adapted and developed the ‘learning journey’ approach. Through this methodology, IDS facilitates a collaborative learning process with staff in development agencies, often with inputs and accompaniment of thematic experts. Each learning journey is collaboratively designed to explore and respond to a specific complex issue or challenge that has been identified by the organisation. This emphasis on building ownership with key stakeholders through enabling collaboration from the outset, supports the relevance and utility of the learning process.
Ultimately, the aim of a learning journey is to increase organisational capacity and impact by creating space and facilitating discussion that maximise the potential to embed emerging lessons and insights into institutional practices and processes.
Over the years, IDS has worked with a variety of stakeholders to undertake learning journeys (recent examples include SDC’s Democratisation, Decentralisation and Local Governance Network, Strategies for mental health with UK Government staff, and Plan International). However, our main experience has been with the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), through the Knowledge, Evidence and Learning for Development (K4D) Programme.
K4D learning journeys: what did we learn?
From 2016 to September 2022, the Knowledge, Evidence and Learning for Development (K4D) Programme provided evidence and learning support to the FCDO, other government departments and partners. During this time, a total of 33 learning journeys took place as part of the broader programme. So, what are some of the lessons learned from the K4D experience with learning journeys?
- Unpacking the ‘black box’ of OL: There needs to be increased recognition of how learning inputs and processes make both direct and indirect contributions to outcomes.
- Valuing the process elements of learning: Facilitated spaces for learning can foster connections between group members, bolster the analysis of evidence, and allow for the collective generation of new knowledge.
- Valuing the relational elements of OL: There needs to be investment in and resourcing of spaces in which staff come together to reflect on practice, discuss evidence, and co-create practical solutions.
- Combining theory, evidence and practice: Participants value the combination of evidence reviews alongside online workshops or webinar discussions to share the individual experiences of policymakers and programmers.
- Capacity of the external learning provider: When accompanying learning in a complex organisation or government department, a consortia approach provides the necessary diversity of expertise, and the flexibility to respond effectively to the needs of the organisation.
- What’s needed internally to the learning organisation: Support from internal leadership is critical to enable staff buy-in and legitimacy of the learning provider.
- Strong external communication and data systems: making sure learning content and outputs are accessible to the public through social media and web platforms is important for ensuring learning resources are sustainable.
Overall, we found that K4D learning journeys have contributed to sound, informed decision-making through building collective understanding and internal consensus. Key to this was the creation of effective learning spaces and the methods used, which captured and shared internal learning, fostered internal connections, presented external evidence, and brought in varied perspectives.
Learn with us
IDS are expert in designing and facilitating interactive and supportive learning tailored for time poor professionals and practitioners. Find out more about how IDS can support your organisation’s learning, through learning journeys or any of our other professional development and learning offers.
