DIAL is developing a handy, quick reference guide that addresses common questions that digital development programs and solutions face as they transition from the startup or pilot stage to their next phase. That transition can be brought about by a number of possible changes: a funding cliff, a leadership change, an expansion to a new market or location, new competition, or the entry of government into program ownership. Deployments face common questions as they navigate transitions, with respect to their program strategy, business models, solution design, human capacity and regulatory policy. The guide will fill a critical gap because most existing resources are aimed at organizations starting up, rather than those who have made it to the 4-5 year mark. This project (being developed with BBC Media Action, Esoko, Vital Wave Consulting and Johns Hopkins University) will build on and extend earlier guidance outputs, which primarily focused on providing guidance to launch and design digital development efforts, and focus more towards what it takes to sustain an initiative once launched. Development of this toolkit will be based on extensive research, iteration, user input and feedback. It will include the documentation of experiences from digital deployments, including what worked, what did not work and how they adjusted.
