Theory of Change for policy impact | Interview with Peter Barbrook-Johnson
"In this interview, Peter Barbrook-Johnson, Deputy Director of the Agile Initiative, discusses using the Theory of Change to evaluate and evidence policy impact. He highlights the complexity and long-term nature of policy engagement and emphasizes the challenge of fitting such processes into short, polished narratives for funders. Barbrook-Johnson stresses the importance of regularly checking in with the Theory of Change, tracking indicators, and employing theory-based evaluation methods to effectively understand and communicate the impact of research.
0:00 - Intro
0:52 - Assessing and demonstrating impact
2:00 - Concrete tracking methods
Dr Pete Barbrook-Johnson is a Lecturer at the Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford and Deputy Director of the £10m 5-year NERC-funded Agile Initiative. His research is almost always policy-facing and covers economics, sociology, and complexity and systems science. He uses research methods such as agent-based modelling, systems mapping and network analysis. Pete is the author of ‘Systems Mapping: how to build and use causal models of systems’ (2022) published by Palgrave and has written and worked widely on the use of systems thinking and complexity economics in energy and environmental policy.
This video is part of the ‘Policy Engagement’ training programme delivered by the Institute for Methods Innovation, Fast Track Impact and Walcott Communications Limited on behalf of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)."