Let's look at the results chain.

The results chain has five elements. We have our results, the output, outcome, and impact. We also have the inputs and the activities. Inputs are what we need to make things happen, resources, people, time, funding, equipment. The activities are the things that we do with those resources and they bring us to our outputs, outcome, and impact.

So, to sum that up:

• Inputs are funds, technical assistance, and other resources, people, time, funding, equipment.
• Activities are what the project does, the project operations, the day-to-day delivery of services.
• The outputs are products and services delivered, intermediate changes
• Together, these bring us to the outcome, that publicly stated aim of the project.
• The impact is the longer-term results that the intervention will contribute to on the wider society.

Let's illustrate the results chain in another way. This is a little case study, just for fun, and this is "Lazy Luke". He is a student, he has not been studying all year, he has found his exams in three days and he just cannot concentrate. How are we going to help him continue studying to pass his exams?

Well, one option could be to make him a really nice strong cup of coffee. So, what do we need to make that happen? Firstly, what are our inputs? What do you need to make coffee? We are going to need obviously coffee, water, sugar, milk, we will need a kettle, we will need a cup, a spoon, and we will need a way to heat the water as well.

Once we have got those, what are the activities for making a cup of coffee? You probably did that this morning when you woke up. Fill the kettle, boil the water, pour into the cup, add coffee, milk, sugar, stir it all around. What is the output then? Our output is that cup of strong coffee. It is a product that we are delivering.

And if he drinks the coffee - and that is an assumption by the way - if he drinks the coffee, what is going to be the result of that? He should be more alert. There may be other assumptions here. But if he is more alert, what will be the impact? He will be better able to study for his exam.

So, we have our inputs, activities, outputs, outcome, and impact. In the next video, we are going to look at what is Results-Based Management.