Case study

Using SenseMaker to asses systemic change in market systems

Published by
BEAM Exchange, LEO, MarketShare Associates, ACDI/VOCA

SenseMaker® is a research approach that gathers narratives (qualitative data) and the self-signified meaning of these narratives (quantitative data) to either understand existing perspectives, beliefs, decisions and norms, or the way these are changing in response to interventions and other environmental factors. In 2016, a SenseMaker® consultant led a trial of the tool in Northern Mozambique which focused on assessing changes in behaviors and practices of smallholder farmers (SHFs) following an intervention by the Seed Multiplication Project (SMP), funded by the Dutch Government with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The objective of this research was to assess the suitability and effectiveness of SenseMaker® to understand change in system properties and behaviors, as well as the practical aspects of using this tool