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Building a Logic Model
Building a logic model is simple. Just follow these steps.
1. Select an approach.
There are different approaches to building your logic model
that depend upon whether your program is new or existing.
- Existing program: Use a top-down approach
by starting with activities.
- New program: Use a bottom-up approach
and begin by identifying the outcomes that will meet the
program goals (impact).
2. Identify the Inputs, Activities, Outputs, Outcomes,
and Impact.
Existing
program (top down approach):
• Begin by asking yourself: “What
does this program do and why will those things make a
difference?”
• List the activities that are part of your program.
(e.g., hold coalition meetings)
• Determine what each activity was designed
to achieve. (e.g., to generate community concern about
youth smoking). These are the outcomes.
• Consider what disease, death, or disability this
is intended to reduce. (e.g., cancer). This is the impact.
• List all of the resources required to
conduct each activity. (e.g., space, staff, telephones).
These are inputs.
• List indicators
that will let you know if you performed each activity
(e.g., number of meetings held, number of people attending).
These are outputs. |
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New
program: (bottom-up approach):
•
Begin by asking yourself: "What do we want
to change and how are we going to do it?"
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If it is disease, death or
disability, you have defined your Impact (e.g.
to reduce low birth weight)
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If it is a behavior, then
that is the outcome (e.g., to reduce youth
smoking).
-
Ask what disease, death, or
disability we are trying to change? This will
identify your impact.
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• Once your impact is identified, ask what immediate
changes, mid-range and long-range, will let you know that
you are on the way to your impact. These are your outcomes
(e.g., youth know the dangers of smoking; schools adopt
“no smoking” policies; rate of youth smoking
declines).
• List the activities you
will conduct to achieve the outcomes (e.g., hold coalition
meetings)
• List all of the resources
required to conduct each activity. (e.g., space, staff,
telephones). These are inputs.
• List indicators
that will let you know if you performed each activity
(e.g., number of meetings held, number of people attending).
These are outputs.
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Flowcharting
Tips |
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For tips on flowcharting,
see Flowcharting
Tips in Flowcharting Help Page Tutorial. |
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3. Arrange the information for these components in
a logical order.
a. If you are using a flow chart, start from the left and
move to the right
b. If you are using a table, fill in the columns in outline
format
For complex flow charting, tools are available to help you
create your logic model. Here is a list of just a few flow
charting tools.
4. Use lines and directional arrows to connect components
to show relationships
5. Carefully examine the model to make sure that:
a. Each component logically relates to the other,
b. There are no missing steps, and
c. Everything ties back to the impact.
| Using the steps
shown here and the Building A Logic Model worksheet
below, practice building a logic model for a simple
program you are involved in. Click on the Building A
Logic Model worksheet (in Microsoft® Word format)
below to begin. |
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Source: Taylor-Powell, E., Jones, L., &
Henert, E. (2002). Enhancing program performance with
logic models. Retrieved November 15, 2003 from the University
of Wisconsin-Extension web site: http://www1.uwex.edu/ces/lmcourse/
Back to Defining Your
Program with Logic Models
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