Climate ToC HubTheories of change and evidence
ToCs Evidence library Help

Theories of change

How to use in draw.io

Evidence Mapped ToCTheory of Change

The boxes are the programme's activities, outputs and outcomes. The cards on the arrows are the causal links between them. Click a link to open the research behind it, then click a study for its finding and article.

Activities lead to outputs, outputs to outcomes, and outcomes to the goal. Drag to move, scroll or pinch to zoom. Turn on Show Causal Links & Evidence to see the causal links on the arrows and the research behind them.

Output 1.1Programme result, for reference + Show evidenceCausal link, click to open
CompletedMinor limitationsEvidence gaps remain
Partial fit to the arrowAlignment note

Evidence library

No statements or studies match. Try a country, an author or a broader word.

Help

This hub holds theories of change (ToCs) for climate and health programming, and the research evidence behind their causal links. You can also take any ToC into draw.io and adapt it for your own programme.

Using the hub

  • ToCs. Choose a ToC from the menu at the top left of the ToCs page. Drag to move around, and scroll or pinch to zoom. The map in the bottom right corner shows where you are.
  • Show Causal Links & Evidence. Off shows the ToC on its own: activities, outputs, outcomes and the goal. On adds the causal links, as cards on the arrows. Click Show evidence on a card to see the evidence statements and studies behind that link, then click a study for its finding and a link to the article.
  • Evidence library. Every evidence statement and study in one list. Search by author, country or finding, or filter by status. On the ToC buttons take you to where a statement sits on a ToC.

Use a ToC as a template in draw.io

draw.io (also called diagrams.net) is a free, open-source diagramming tool. It runs in your browser and as a desktop app for Windows, Mac and Linux.

  1. Choose the ToC and the causal links

    On the ToCs page, pick the ToC you want from the menu at the top left. Turn Show Causal Links & Evidence on if you want the causal links written on the arrows, or off for boxes and arrows only.

  2. Download the template

    Click Export ToC template at the top right of the ToCs page. The template never includes the evidence. Your browser saves the file to your Downloads folder, and the name says which version it is: climate-toc-default-with-causal-links.drawio or climate-toc-default-without-causal-links.drawio.

  3. Open it in draw.io

    In your browser

    Go to app.diagrams.net. If it asks where to save diagrams, choose Device. Then choose File › Open from › Device… and pick the file, or drag the file onto the page.

    In the desktop app

    Install it from drawio.com, then choose File › Open… and pick the file. You can also double-click the file once the app is installed.

    Into a diagram you already have

    With your diagram open, choose File › Import from › Device…. The ToC is added to the current page.

  4. Make it your own

    • Double-click any box or causal link label to edit its text. The Activities boxes are empty, ready for your activities.
    • Arrows are attached to their boxes, so you can drag boxes around and the arrows follow.
    • To change colours or line styles, select a shape and use the Style panel on the right.

  5. Save and share

    Save your copy as a .drawio file, or use File › Export as to make a PNG, SVG or PDF for reports and slides.

Good to know

  • Your copy is separate. Changes you make in draw.io don't change the ToCs on this site.
  • Fonts. The diagram uses the Geist font, which draw.io loads from Google Fonts. If you are offline, draw.io uses a standard font instead and some text may fit a little differently.
  • Colours. Exports always use the light colour scheme, even if you view this site in dark mode.