The Outcome Mapping Methodology on the evaluation of the Latin American Trade Network: Monitoring and Evaluating Research Outputs

The OM approach allows LATN to take account of the real changes favored by the network’s activities and research findings, and to identify the different kinds of influence on each partner. On evaluating research outputs, OM is useful as it is a flexible tool and enables the researchers to evaluate the relevance of their efforts in a complex context. The research work is, usually, focused on designing solutions rather than implementing them, so applying OM presents difficulties: “The challenge researchers face in OM application is how to show how their targeted benefiting communities will benefit from their work” (Nyangaga4). The range of actors involved in a research project, as well as the great scope of political interests challenge the ability of researchers in assessing the impacts of their work.