We provide a stepwise process to generate evidence for more effective scaling of innovation

Supports reflection on whether Scaling Readiness is fit-for-purpose and decision making on the required time, human, and financial resources for the rigourous implementation of Scaling Readiness. Once this decision is made, capacity for the appropriate implementation of Scaling Readiness needs to be developed.

Defines 4 key characteristics of your scaling project: (1) objectives and focus, (2) the innovation that the project is trying to scale, (3) the context in which scaling is to take place, (4) the stakeholders, their networks, and other projects in which they are involved. This step results in a clearly defined innovation package and provides an analysis of the different locations where scaling is desired.

Supports independent expert diagnosis of the Scaling Readiness of each of the innovations in the innovation package in a specific scaling location. Experts who understand both the innovations and the scaling context are asked to score the innovations for their innovation readiness and current innovation use. They are requested to provide evidence that supports their assessment and score. The scoring will show the overall Scaling Readiness of the innovation package, and which innovations score lowest and form the key bottleneck to scaling in that specific location.

Facilitates the project team in making strategic choices about (i) how to overcome the bottleneck(s), (ii) which partners should be involved, (iii) the most effective way to work with these partners, and (iv) the kinds of activities and budgets that are required to overcome the bottleneck  New, improved or adapted outputs or groups of outputs such as products, technologies, services, organizational and institutional arrangements with high potential to contribute to positive impacts when used at scale. innovation . Together, these elements constitute the core of a draft scaling strategy.

Fosters agreement on the scaling strategy and the scaling action plan among the project partners and broader stakeholders such as donors. This is to ensure buy-in for the proposed strategy and to validate whether the implementation of the strategy is technically feasible and socially and politically acceptable. If the proposed strategy is not acceptable to the stakeholders, then the team needs to go back to Step 3 to revise the proposed strategy.

Encourages periodic reflection on the implementation of the scaling action plan, and that plan is updated if needed. Once the scaling bottleneck(s) are addressed, a second cycle of Scaling Readiness can be initiated, making it an iterative process.