Introduction to the Results Cycle
Importance of 'managing for results'
The global development community has recognized the need to “manage better for results" – that is, to improve the way government entities work by ensuring that resources are used more effectively in implementing HIV policies and programs to achieve results on the ground. This gives performance information at the operational level great strategic value. The challenges are to provide high-quality and timely information for decision making at critical points, and to help development practitioners incorporate the use of outcome information in their work (Rodriguez-Garcia and White, 2005).
In early 2003, the World Bank embraced “managing for results” as a guiding approach for improving the effectiveness of its assistance (Rodriguez-Garcia and White, 2005). Managing for results deepens dialogue with clients and governments. It sharpens the focus of business models on policy changes and demonstrable results on the ground (Rodriguez-Garcia and White, 2005).
Back to top
Applying the principles of 'managing for results' to HIV responses and strategic planning
As countries’ experience with HIV/AIDS matures, national AIDS authorities and policymakers are increasingly pressed to show the results that national policies and programs are achieving. Governments and their partners are committed to ensuring that resources are used effectively to support national responses to the HIV epidemic. The effectiveness of national strategies will ultimately be judged by their impact and results – that is, by how well they contain the HIV epidemic through prevention, treatment and care, and improve the lives of people with HIV.
Countries want to shape policies and strategies and implement successful programs and projects to scale up and sustain HIV prevention, treatment and care. They also strive to strengthen partnerships at the country level to improve the effectiveness of HIV support and its results. It is a difficult challenge to formulate HIV/AIDS policies and programs, plan and execute a strategy, mobilize resources and use them effectively. The reality of planning national policies and strategies is complex; so models and tools that simplify the process into core areas can help planners know where they are in the process, and to focus systematically on the tasks that need to be completed.
Back to top
Introducing the Results Cycle
This Handbook for Planning and Managing for HIV/AIDS Results was developed to support countries address these challenges. It aims to support countries as they formulate new HIV/AIDS policies and/or develop or revise their national strategy, by introducing an approach to thinking and planning that is guided by evidence and oriented towards results - the Results Cycle.
The Results Cycle is an organizing framework that guides and supports both the strategic planning process and the production of the strategy document that will guide future implementation, by focusing on seven logical phases, as illustrated in figure 1.
Figure 1: The Results Cycle
.jpg)
Source: Rodriguez-Garcia and Kusek, 2007
The 7 Phases in Figure 1 reflect a logical approach to improving policy development and strategy planning, and thus to improving program performance.
The Results Cycle is based on the principle that strategy formulation is guided by national policy, but the application of the Results Cycle brings to the table both policy decision makers and technical staff as strategic planning is done. For instance, an important aspect of planning strategically –based on evidence– is presenting to the political leadership (often the Minister of Health or the Council of Ministries) the evidence data gathered about changes and trends in the epidemic and the performance of the national response in affecting those changes. This is important because policy makers need to understand the meaning and implications of the data for society, systems, and resources (Inter-American Development Bank, 2006).
Back to top
.jpg)
