From Vision to Impact: How Program Logic Supports Planning, Implementation and Evaluation
Achieving meaningful change requires more than just good intentions—it demands strategic planning, clear communication, and measurable impact.
Program Logic provides a structure that helps organisations see their programs and initiatives clearly. By visually mapping the activities, outputs, and desired outcomes, Program Logic enables teams to align their efforts with the difference they hope to make to people’s lives.
What is Program Logic?
Program Logic is a powerful tool for designing, communicating and evaluating programs. It is used, and even required, more and more across various sectors, including government, non-profit, and the corporate sector. It provides a clear framework to define activities, outputs, and expected outcomes, ensuring that all stakeholders, such as funders, organisational partners and beneficiaries, understand a program and its purpose .
At its core, Program Logic visually maps how resources and actions lead to intended results. This enhances clarity, accountability, and provides confidence in the effectiveness of implementing a program.
“Developing a Program Logic enables us to take a step back and understand not just what we are doing, but why we are doing it. It allows for critical reflection and better decision-making, ensuring programs are aligned with what is actually needed," explains Syarif Abdul-Wahed, Research Fellow at CSI UWA.
Program Logic to Engage and Create Buy-in
Developing a Program Logic involves a process of making decisions about what matters for a program – what are the key activities, what are the expected outputs and what short, medium and long term outcomes are expected?
Doing this process collaboratively with team members and stakeholders such as organisational partners and beneficiaries – or lived experience representatives who have lived experience of the issue the program addresses – can lead to better program design. It is also an opportunity to ensure that the articulated outcomes are based on what is most important to stakeholders or aligned to lived experience.
The Role of Program Logic in Evaluation and Measurement
Program Logic is a valuable tool for deciding what to measure, what questions are most important to ask and how to organise data collection activities so that they can meaningfully assess the value or worth of a program. . A well-structured Program Logic will make clear the important things to track to understand if implementation is going well. In addition, because a Program Logic requires outcomes to be defined and articulated, this will help inform measurement planning.
Organising evidence around the Program Logic structure will also help teams reflect together on whether tweaks need to be made to the program design, data collection tools, and/or any assumptions that they may need to revise.
"The power of Program Logic lies in its ability to turn complex initiatives into clear, structured plans. And by engaging stakeholders in the process of creating the
Program Logic, including those with lived experience, we can create more meaningful initiatives which have integrity and buy-in," says Lisette Kaleveld, Senior Research Fellow at CSI UWA.
Best Practices for Creating and Using a Program Logic
- Engage stakeholders: Ensure that beneficiaries, funders, and team members understand and contribute to the design and revision of the Program Logic.
- Keep it simple: Avoid unnecessary complexity or detail that does not directly address the need.
- Utilise it to measure and evaluate: The Program Logic will highlight the key data points needed to demonstrate impact.
- Hold it lightly: Understand that it is just a model, therefore might not always reflect how things work in the ‘real world’. Be prepared to review and revise.
Program Logic: A practical complement to a Theory of Change
Program Logic is closely related to another foundational step in program design – Theory of Change. Sometimes these terms are used interchangeably but they do refer to slightly different ideas. A Program Logic outlines the specific elements of a program and how they are connected, through logic, to desired outcomes. A Theory of Change provides a broader framework for understand why an approach is valuable, as it explains many of the underlying assumptions and context that drive the need for the program and the program's effectiveness in achieving long-term goals and social impact. A Theory of Change is often supported by theory, published literature and an existing evidence base.
CSI UWA will deliver a Masterclass on Program Logic on 5 March 2026 and other professional development opportunities throughout the year, in Perth and beyond – find out more about the Social Impact Masterclass series.