Prototyping Tools

 
 

Humanitarian innovation requires collecting both qualitative and qualitative evidence. But we also understand that M&E approaches should be as simple as possible so that they do not distract from the innovation process itself. This toolkit aims to provide you with the help you need to start simple.

There are three types of tool in this toolkit:

  • ITERATE Fast updates to your idea for greater success

  • EVALUATE Understand where your innovation is doing well, what the challenges are, and what changes need to be made.

  • STORYTELLING Explain your innovation, and strategize about the future and how to better ‘sell’ your idea to donors or people using your innovation.

You should choose the type of tool that meets your needs. If you’re not sure where to start, begin by looking at the ITERATE tools which help you to check whether your innovation is meeting the needs of your users. The EVALUATE and STORYTELLING tools will then help you to demonstrate the value of your approach to stakeholders, partners and donors.

ITERATE

Fast updates to your idea for greater success

Each of the tools here provides a way for you to get feedback on whether the innovation is useful and how it can be improved. The information can be used by your team to improve the innovation. It can also be shared with others to help you explain your innovation process, and the decisions and mistakes you have made.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

A simple tool to help you test and improve prototypes.

 

An advanced tool to help you test an improve prototypes

 
 

Record the decisions and changes you’ve made and why

 
 

EVALUATE

Understand where your innovation is doing well, what the challenges are, and what changes need to be made.

The evaluate tools show the social impact of your innovation. These tools also support donor accountability: they help you to answer the questions that donors ask you. Since these tools should provide data on how effective your solution is and how it supports impact for people affected by crisis, these tools also give you information that is critical to accessing further funding.

 
 
 
 

Develop and update your understanding of the problem and your innovation objectives

 
 
 

STORYTELLING

Explain your innovation, and strategize about the future and how to better ‘sell’ your idea to donors or people using your innovation.

The tools for storytelling provide insights into the innovation process that help you explain what you are doing in comparison to other innovations, set your strategy, and tell the story of where you are and where you are headed.

 
 
 
 

Explain your innovation idea and how you’ve tested it