Services

3ie offers a full suite of impact evaluation and synthesis services for decision-makers in government, international organizations, funding agencies and philanthropies to support evidence-informed action across the program cycle of deciding which interventions to fund, how to implement them and how to evaluate them.

Our expertise is in ensuring high-quality, on-time and relevant research and evidence. We offer services in the following areas of evidence-informed policy and practice to our partners.
Services-intro

Problem diagnosis

Problem diagnosis

Problem diagnosis

The first step in designing a successful program is understanding the development problem and barriers the program intends to solve and address.

We conduct rigorous analysis to identify which of many contributing factors to a problem are most severe or “binding." By identifying the most severe barriers and challenges, programs can more efficiently and effectively target their resources to achieve an outcome of interest.

Theory of change development

Theory of change development

Theory of change development

3ie works with partners to develop evidence-informed, contextually tailored theories of change (TOCs) based on rigorous problem diagnosis, including guidance on how to test, adapt, and evaluate the TOCs during and after program implementation.

Evidence synthesis

Evidence synthesis

Evidence synthesis

Carefully examining the impact evaluation evidence of which interventions have a track record of success—or failure—at addressing a development problem will inform the design of a successful program.

3ie can produce and assure the quality of a variety of synthesis products. Click through the options below to learn more.

Systematic reviews

Systematic reviews summarize the full body of global evidence to assess a specific policy question. They do this by identifying, assessing the quality of, and synthesizing the evidence from included empirical studies that address the question of interest. Systematic reviews can address a range of policy and practice questions, including, but not limited to, the effects of different interventions. Our reviews are peer-reviewed, and quality assured according to internationally accepted standards.

Rapid evidence assessment

Rapid evidence assessment is a type of evidence synthesis that addresses policy and programming questions when time and resources are limited. 3ie uses the same rigorous methodology as a systematic review but tightens the parameters to allow for completion in shorter timeframes.

Rapid response

Rapid response briefs answer urgent questions from decision-makers and are offered within a 5, 10 or 30-day period depending on need. These briefs identify and summarize the best high-quality, context-relevant evidence on which interventions are effective and how those programs should be implemented. Unlike systematic reviews and rapid reviews, rapid response briefs draw on and summarize existing evidence rather than conducting new searches and analysis.

Evidence gap maps

Evidence gap maps

Evidence gap maps

Evidence gap maps are thematic collections of impact evaluations and systematic reviews of the effects of international development policies and programs. This evidence is mapped onto an interactive framework of interventions and outcomes. This framework makes the existing evidence easily accessible and graphically highlights where there is an abundance of evidence and where the important gaps are in the evidence. 3ie invented evidence gap maps and can customize maps to your needs!

Rapid cycle evaluation design, including A/B tests

Rapid cycle evaluation design, including A/B tests

Rapid cycle evaluation design, including A/B tests

When the "right" implementation approach is not known, rapid-cycle evaluations, including A/B testing, enable programs to quickly learn what is working better and iteratively adapt in order to maximize impact. These evaluations tend to assess process indicators that are correlated with improved impact and that can pick up improvements within relatively short timeframes. Rapid cycle evaluations can be standalone or part of a broader evaluation.

Formative evaluation 

Formative evaluation 

Formative evaluation 

Sometimes theory and practice don't quite meet. Formative evaluation allows one to test whether a new program is feasible and appropriate before it is fully scaled up. (Note: formative evaluations do not test the effectiveness of a program).

Process evaluation

Process evaluation

Process evaluation

Process evaluation determines whether a program is being implemented as intended and assesses the quality of the program's design. 3ie specializes in process evaluation both as a standalone study that can inform a full impact evaluation and as part of an impact evaluation.

Impact evaluations scoping and design

Impact evaluations scoping and design

Impact evaluations scoping and design

The flip side of designing an intervention to be evaluated is to match the design of the evaluation with the intervention. This requires in-depth consideration of evaluation questions and methods that best align with the proposed activity design. 3ie can help get this coordination right from the outset.

Impact evaluation

Impact evaluation

Impact evaluation

At the core of 3ie’s work, impact evaluations assess the causal effects of a program. 3ie applies mixed methods to better understand why the desired change did or did not occur.

Impact evaluation with cost analysis

Impact evaluation with cost analysis

Impact evaluation with cost analysis

To learn about the cost-effectiveness of your program, it is necessary to know both the effects of your program and the cost to get that effect. 3ie has experience in conducting impact evaluations with cost analysis.

Stakeholder engagement and communication support

Stakeholder engagement and communication support

Stakeholder engagement and communication support

By engaging with stakeholders from the time of inception of the studies in a critical, efficient and meaningful way, we facilitate their efforts to ensure the evidence produced is integrated and informs their strategies. We support in knowledge management during the study and organize workshops for communicating study findings and promoting understanding and use.

Monitoring and measuring research impact

Monitoring and measuring research impact

Monitoring and measuring research impact

3ie has extensive experience in the application of contribution analysis and other methods that can help monitor and measure the impact of research evidence. We also have experience using contribution tracing to validate whether your research has had an influence. To learn more about our work in this area, visit our impact page.

Training Initiatives

Training Initiatives

Training Initiatives

Conducting rigorous research can be daunting and resource-intensive for organizations still building their in-house methodological capacity. 3ie provides applied skill-building workshops (virtual or in-person) based on adult learning principles, focusing on real-world projects and challenges they are currently working on.

Our recent evaluation capacity strengthening activities span Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia and South-east Asia. Our training courses are tailored to the specific needs of the partner.

Research grants administration

Research grants administration

Research grants administration

When done well, managing research grants is not only about contractual accountability and high-quality research outputs, it should also leave grantees better equipped to compete for and successfully complete future awards.

Transparency, research and ethics helpdesk

Transparency, research and ethics helpdesk

Transparency, research and ethics helpdesk

3ie is a pioneer and advocate for transparent, reproducible and ethical research. We can help ensure your research programs generate credible evidence and follow ethical principles.

Problem diagnosis

Theory of change development

Evidence synthesis

Evidence gap maps

Problem diagnosis

Problem diagnosis

The first step in designing a successful program is understanding the development problem and barriers the program intends to solve and address.

We conduct rigorous analysis to identify which of many contributing factors to a problem are most severe or “binding." By identifying the most severe barriers and challenges, programs can more efficiently and effectively target their resources to achieve an outcome of interest.

Theory of change development

Theory of change development

3ie works with partners to develop evidence-informed, contextually tailored theories of change (TOCs) based on rigorous problem diagnosis, including guidance on how to test, adapt, and evaluate the TOCs during and after program implementation.

Evidence synthesis

Evidence synthesis

Carefully examining the impact evaluation evidence of which interventions have a track record of success—or failure—at addressing a development problem will inform the design of a successful program.

3ie can produce and assure the quality of a variety of synthesis products. Click through the options below to learn more.

Systematic reviews

Systematic reviews summarize the full body of global evidence to assess a specific policy question. They do this by identifying, assessing the quality of, and synthesizing the evidence from included empirical studies that address the question of interest. Systematic reviews can address a range of policy and practice questions, including, but not limited to, the effects of different interventions. Our reviews are peer-reviewed, and quality assured according to internationally accepted standards.

Rapid evidence assessment

Rapid evidence assessment is a type of evidence synthesis that addresses policy and programming questions when time and resources are limited. 3ie uses the same rigorous methodology as a systematic review but tightens the parameters to allow for completion in shorter timeframes.

Rapid response

Rapid response briefs answer urgent questions from decision-makers and are offered within a 5, 10 or 30-day period depending on need. These briefs identify and summarize the best high-quality, context-relevant evidence on which interventions are effective and how those programs should be implemented. Unlike systematic reviews and rapid reviews, rapid response briefs draw on and summarize existing evidence rather than conducting new searches and analysis.

Evidence gap maps

Evidence gap maps

Evidence gap maps are thematic collections of impact evaluations and systematic reviews of the effects of international development policies and programs. This evidence is mapped onto an interactive framework of interventions and outcomes. This framework makes the existing evidence easily accessible and graphically highlights where there is an abundance of evidence and where the important gaps are in the evidence. 3ie invented evidence gap maps and can customize maps to your needs!

Rapid cycle evaluation design, including A/B tests

Formative evaluation 

Process evaluation

Impact evaluations scoping and design

Rapid cycle evaluation design, including A/B tests

Rapid cycle evaluation design, including A/B tests

When the "right" implementation approach is not known, rapid-cycle evaluations, including A/B testing, enable programs to quickly learn what is working better and iteratively adapt in order to maximize impact. These evaluations tend to assess process indicators that are correlated with improved impact and that can pick up improvements within relatively short timeframes. Rapid cycle evaluations can be standalone or part of a broader evaluation.

Formative evaluation 

Formative evaluation 

Sometimes theory and practice don't quite meet. Formative evaluation allows one to test whether a new program is feasible and appropriate before it is fully scaled up. (Note: formative evaluations do not test the effectiveness of a program).

Process evaluation

Process evaluation

Process evaluation determines whether a program is being implemented as intended and assesses the quality of the program's design. 3ie specializes in process evaluation both as a standalone study that can inform a full impact evaluation and as part of an impact evaluation.

Impact evaluations scoping and design

Impact evaluations scoping and design

The flip side of designing an intervention to be evaluated is to match the design of the evaluation with the intervention. This requires in-depth consideration of evaluation questions and methods that best align with the proposed activity design. 3ie can help get this coordination right from the outset.

Impact evaluation

Impact evaluation with cost analysis

Stakeholder engagement and communication support

Monitoring and measuring research impact

Impact evaluation

Impact evaluation

At the core of 3ie’s work, impact evaluations assess the causal effects of a program. 3ie applies mixed methods to better understand why the desired change did or did not occur.

Impact evaluation with cost analysis

Impact evaluation with cost analysis

To learn about the cost-effectiveness of your program, it is necessary to know both the effects of your program and the cost to get that effect. 3ie has experience in conducting impact evaluations with cost analysis.

Stakeholder engagement and communication support

Stakeholder engagement and communication support

By engaging with stakeholders from the time of inception of the studies in a critical, efficient and meaningful way, we facilitate their efforts to ensure the evidence produced is integrated and informs their strategies. We support in knowledge management during the study and organize workshops for communicating study findings and promoting understanding and use.

Monitoring and measuring research impact

Monitoring and measuring research impact

3ie has extensive experience in the application of contribution analysis and other methods that can help monitor and measure the impact of research evidence. We also have experience using contribution tracing to validate whether your research has had an influence. To learn more about our work in this area, visit our impact page.

Training Initiatives

Research grants administration

Transparency, research and ethics helpdesk

Training Initiatives

Training Initiatives

Conducting rigorous research can be daunting and resource-intensive for organizations still building their in-house methodological capacity. 3ie provides applied skill-building workshops (virtual or in-person) based on adult learning principles, focusing on real-world projects and challenges they are currently working on.

Our recent evaluation capacity strengthening activities span Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia and South-east Asia. Our training courses are tailored to the specific needs of the partner.

Research grants administration

Research grants administration

When done well, managing research grants is not only about contractual accountability and high-quality research outputs, it should also leave grantees better equipped to compete for and successfully complete future awards.

Transparency, research and ethics helpdesk

Transparency, research and ethics helpdesk

3ie is a pioneer and advocate for transparent, reproducible and ethical research. We can help ensure your research programs generate credible evidence and follow ethical principles.