Research-into-Action brief: Understanding scalability

This brief explores the meaning of “effective scaling up”. It observes that there are both quantitative and qualitative attributes of scaling up and that effective scaling up initiatives need to be adaptable, sustainable and successful in achieving their objectives. The importance of incorporating monitoring and evaluation throughout the scaling-up process is described. The brief also reflects on the internal and external factors that create supportive environments for scalability and the different pathways that scaling up may take.

A case study describes a scalability toolkit developed by Save the Children. The Brief concludes with a discussion on measuring scalability and how different features identified in understanding scalability can be used to assess and plan.

The Research-into-Action Brief series provides concise summaries of academic and grey literature on a range of topics for practitioners working in the fields of child-centred risk reduction (CCRR), climate change adaptation (CCA), and school safety.