Monitoring on-going vision development in system change programmes

Visions are considered to be of vital importance for programmes aimed at sustainable systems change. Vision development is a programme management instrument, a programme output, and at the heart of programme learning processes. This article addresses the question what constitutes an appropriate monitoring strategy for vision development activities within system change programmes. Based on action research and literature review on monitoring, evaluation and vision development a monitoring framework is proposed. It is suggested to monitor the programme vision against project visions, societal visions and a set of basic criteria. The monitoring activities themselves are context-sensitive and frequently renegotiated between monitors, programme managers and other stakeholders. The framework is illustrated with a national systems change programme on sustainable agriculture in the Netherlands.