WBIFP

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The Rapid Results Approach An Overview

• WBIFP
• Investment Climate Unit
• October 26, 2003

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Agenda

• Overview of the Rapid Results Approach (RRA)
• Piloting RRA in Kenya
• Risks of traditional project plans and key
  strengths of RRA
• Conditions for RRA Implementation
• RRA and Traditional Capacity Building Methods

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What is the Rapid Results Approach ?
The Rapid Results Approach (RRA) is a
results-focused learning process aimed at
jump-starting major change efforts and enhancing
implementation capacity

• RRA tackles large-scale change efforts through a
  series of small-scale, results-producing and
  momentum-building initiatives
• RRA is consistent with the International
  Communitys focus on results and capacity
  enhancement and client ownership

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What Can the Rapid Results Approach (RRA) Do?

• Unleashes and enhances implementation capacity
• Translates intent into action to achieve results
  within 100 days
• Overcomes inertia and resistance to change
• Builds support for change
• Helps leaders adapt and refine implementation
  strategies
• Accelerates learning and discovery and reduces
  hidden risks inherent in long-term strategies

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RRA Brings Out Group Motivation
RRA sets and drives Breakthrough Goals and
holds teams accountable for these goals

• Change in Organizational Behavior
• People Collaborate
• People Experiment and Ignore Red Tape
• People Tap Their Full potential of energy and
  creativity

• Breakthrough Goals
• Challenging stretch goal, yet achievable
• Using existing resources and capacities
• Urgent and compelling 100 days or les
• Sharply defined and measurable and visible

Result in
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Identifying a Rapid Results Initiative
Improving the Investment Climate
To Start with carjacking incidents
To Focus on one high incidence district
To Focus on one high incidence district
Rapid-Results Goal
To Reduce carjacking incidents by ___ in __
district, in next 60 days
To Reduce carjacking incidents by ___ in __
district, in next 60 days
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Illustration of a Rapid Results Initiative
Reduce
time for business license processing
in Nairobi
by one week
in next 60 days
Impact Variable
Time Frame
Action
Measurement
Scope
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Managing the RRA Portfolio
Activities
Overall Objective
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Time
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Illustration of a Rapid Results Portfolio
Strengthen key institutions in the Government
Set up competitive fund to subsidize private
services
Program Activities
Strengthen Nicaraguan Institute for Agricultural
Technology
Pilot education/training for technical service
providers
Establish information system to identify farmer
needs
July 2000
Jul-Oct 2002
Improve productivity of 120,000 farmers by 30 in
16 years
Increase sale of milk from 500 to 1500 gallons
per day in 60 small and medium size producers in
Leon municipality, in 120 days
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Steps in RRA Implementation

• Finalize goal of RRI (RRI team)
• Develop preliminary work plan (RRI team)

1-2 days
Launch

• Implement work plan, and adjust as needed (RRI
  team)
• Provide guidance and implementation support (WB
  team)
• Review progress and disseminate learning (WB team)

Implementation Support
60-120 days

• Scale up successful RRIs (client)
• Adjust portfolio of activities and rapid-results
  initiatives in the strategic plan (client)

6-12 months
Scaleup
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Kenya Pilot as a Prototype

• New government in place with desire for reform
• High expectations for results from the general
  public but strong inertia and resistance to
  change
• IDA requirement for results push for rapid
  results
• Entry point on a theme improving investment
  climate
• Unique use of RRA to enhance implementation
  capacity and results
• Support for implementation through RRA

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The Challenge in Kenya
After 9 months in power, the new NARC Government
of Kenya (GOK) faces one key capacity challenge
To implement the governments Economic Recovery
Strategy (ERS)
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Why Rapid Results in Kenya?
Using the RRA helps the government tackle the
implementation challenge

• GOK sees RRA as an important, timely tool for
  implementing the ERS
• GOK decided to launch the first round of
  rapid-results initiatives
• GOK is interested in institutionalizing the
  approach within the government

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Key Risks of Traditional Strategic Projects

• Integration Risk Being able to knit the
  activities together to produce the desired result
• Execution Risk Organizational inertia and Weak
  accountability
• Figure-out-ability Risk Knowing all the needed
  activities in advance

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Key Strengths of RRA

• Unleash existing capacity through strengthened
  accountability at all levels
• Create a goal-oriented context for leveraging
  outside capacity inputs
• Accelerate the learning and discovery process of
  capacity issues, requirements, and constraints,
  and reduce hidden risks inherent in long-term
  strategies
• Generate stimulus and momentum for change

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Conditions for Selecting RRA

• New government/administration facing political
  pressure to perform
• Government showing political commitment to
  reform
• Presence of reform champions within the
  government
• Entrepreneurial spirit willingness to take some
  risk

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RRA and Traditional Capacity Building Methods

• Need to enhance implementation capacity
• Existing WBI products focus only on diagnostics,
  knowledge and skills transfer
• RRI complements existing products
• Combining RRIs with longer-term traditional
  training activities can create a large-scale
  implementation strategy

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Thank You