The Shapes of Things: The Graphic Language of Program Logics and Several Alternatives

Program logic models are widespread and useful tools for stakeholder engagement, communication, program development and planning, and evaluation purposes. However, a key potential weakness includes the difficulty conveying the complexity associated with many interventions, which is exacerbated by the limited range of visuals used in most program logics. Program logics are almost always represented as text within rectangular boxes arranged in columns or rows, representing inputs, outputs, and outcomes; with arrows representing the linkages between them. The simplicity and consistency of this graphic language is useful but also presents a risk of over-simplifying and misleading non-evaluator users into a direct, causal set of relationships. In addition, rectangles and arrows have cultural and historical meanings that often go un-examined. This article provides a brief review of the symbology of program logics, identifies several issues with current practice, and provides several alternatives for conveying causal relationships and other aspects of program logics. It is hoped that the focus on an expanded visual vocabulary will help evaluators convey the complex reality of programs.