ILRI’s Impact at scale (I@S) framework guides innovation and scaling projects. It has three modules. The first module is a ‘light track’. In the light track, following the scaling scan process, a series of scaling workshops are organized. Participants include key project stakeholders such as government and national partners, private sector organizations and other international organizations working in the areas the project operates. Using the adjusted tools of Scaling Scan and ASAT, a validated scaling ambition for the project is formulated and several scaling ingredients and pathways were identified. Projects teams aiming to consolidate their overall scaling strategy and develop shared understanding among the team members and key project stakeholders might choose to finish the I@S study process with the light track.
The second module is the ‘standard track’. In addition to the light track, the standard track includes a deep dive into the Scaling Readiness tool. In consultation with the project team, the I@S team proles the key characteristics of the project design and the relevance of the project for achieving impact as well as the innovation the project aims to develop or test. Afterwards, the I@S team guides the identification of the set of innovations that need to be combined to achieve scaling of the project innovations and proles the ‘innovation package’. Scaling Readiness is based on specific definitions of innovations and uses existing evidence sources such as journal articles, books, book chapters and technical reports to assess the maturity and use of the innovations. It documents all resources that provide evidence for the maturity and use of innovations of the project for the specific contexts in which the project operates and the complementary innovations necessary to scale the project innovations in an evidence appendix. In cases where evidence is unavailable, a set of interviews complement the evidence claims. Scaling Readiness produces a scaling readiness report and a scaling plan for addressing the scaling bottlenecks identified in the scaling readiness report. Project teams that are looking for evidence-based site-specific recommendations for scaling strategies and activities might choose to finish the I@S framework with the standard track.
The third module is the ‘extended track’. The extended track includes support for scaling projects in implementing the scaling plan. Based on the specific needs of the project, the implementation support is customized. It can include dashboards that can provide updates about the performance of the implementation of the scaling plan, and additional elements that inform about project management and partnership aspects. It can also include recommendations for preparing scaling activities in the planning of work and budget documents, and recommendations for preparing new project proposals for complementing the project or for the next phase of the project. The extended track links the findings of the scaling study with implementation teams and organizational support services of the project partners. I@S uses state-of-the-art digital tools (such as Microsoft Dynamics, Teams, Power BI, Decisions, Smartsheet, Session Lab, etc.) in preparing the dashboards using live real-time data from core CGIAR systems so that the extended track can contribute to overall capacity development of the project teams and the hosting organizations of the projects in the long term. Project teams that want to benefit from the full package of the scaling support services choose the extended track.
