How to intentionally design ‘bricolaged’ MEL?

This brief explores how bricolaged MEL can be designed intentionally. How can practitioners make clear and deliberate choices about what methods and elements to combine, why they are being combined, and how they should be used?

It considers what can guide a more structured design process, from values, principles and stakeholder deliberation to purpose, context and methodological choices. It also asks how transparency, operational constraints and appropriate guardrails can help ensure that bricolaged MEL remains flexible while also being credible and robust.

This series of think pieces explores six learning questions discussed by participants of the OMLC Learning Lab in December 2025. For more details, visit https://www.outcomemapping.org/bricolage.