Learning Systems are vital as part of change, enabling continual, rapid learning from iterative testing. They use measurement systems to gather insights, critical reflection and rapid feedback loops to ensure that learning informs and shapes the change itself.
Learning Systems create time and space for people to reflect and learn through the change process. They value learning from different perspectives across the system, enable people to feel safe to experiment (and “fail”), help understand risk and put knowledge into action.
Supporting Infrastructure for learning systems in change projects
Plan activities, timelines and budgets
Approach the development of a learning system in the same way you would a typical project. It needs much of the same project planning, budgeting and management, with flexibility to deviate from the original plan.
Make it easy to participate
Use infrastructure to make participation easier.
Create resources to help day-to-day learning. For instance:
- develop templates to capture data and enable sharing
- organise and facilitate workshops
- identify those with similar issues and connect them
- show how the work is relevant to senior management and boards
- “package up” emerging learning to influence policy and decision makers
Scope of a learning system
Three specific questions will help to clarify the scope of any learning system:
What is the learning system’s purpose?
- learning systems take a lot of work and resources, so they must have a clear purpose
it is important to be clear about a learning focus linked to quality and improvement
Who needs to be involved and how?
- A learning system should be flexible to the needs of different populations; the best way to do this is through effective engagement. The learning system’s purpose will impact who to involve. Revise and refresh both as the focus changes.
- Effective planning is essential if engagement is to be meaningful. The participation toolkit outlines a series of questions to help guide participation.
How will you make sure this reduces inequality?
Review the impact on inequality at each point of the learning system’s life cycle. An equality impact assessment (EQIA) will help identify disadvantages and mitigating actions. Measure inequalities from the outset, including unintended consequences of your work (“balancing measures”).
Consider the following questions:
- who might be able to help you identify population-level needs and their impact on people who use services?
- who might be able to support you in reviewing current evidence and how it applies to inequalities?