Tool #2
Scalability Assessment
An assessment to determine the scalability of different interventions/ activities based on factors such as credibility, support, ease of adoption, and funding sustainability.
SOURCE: USAID Basic Toolkit for Systematic Scale-Up, developed by MSI based on ExpandNet: Nine steps for developing a scaling-up strategy, p.17
Not all interventions/activities with a solid evidence base are feasible to scale and sustain. Several characteristics need to align in order to make an attempt at scaling a priority. Taking time to assess the fit of an intervention/activity for scale up in your context can avoid problems later on.
How to use this tool
- Go item by item, and fill in the circle indicating if the intervention/activity is closer to one side of the scale or the other—or if it sits in between.
- Total the filled-in circles for each column. Transfer the subtotals for each scalability factor to the final page of the tool (Reflect on Scalability). The scores for each scalability factor are, of course, not precise. They are only meant to provide a basis for discussion in Step 2.
- Discuss each factor’s score; consider other aspects you may know about, but which were not discussed. For each factor, mark whether the intervention/activity is strong, moderate, or weak.
- Think about and discuss how this intervention/activity might be strengthened for scale up.
- Determine together if, overall, this intervention/activity has potential for scale up in your context.
Children’s Engagement
A key component in scalability is the acceptability of an intervention/activity to the communities for whom it is designed. When using this tool Joining Forces seeks children’s engagement in two distinct ways: 1) integrating information about children’s views and perspectives as it relates to the tool’s topic and 2) as a source of data for each tool. Locating opportunities for child participation and child safeguarding (as separate and complementary) is a shared responsibility of all Joining Forces partners. As noted in Step 1 of this tool, the perspectives of children and their families is a critical aspect of credibility. To determine their perspectives, it may be possible to review reports, evaluations and literature about the intervention/activity. If such documented perspectives are not available, children and families who have experienced implementation of the model intervention/ activity can be formally or informally surveyed. Other ideas for generating ideas from children can be found in the “Tools and Techniques for Children’s Engagement” compendium provided at the end of this guide.