Conceptualizing Service Delivery Approaches from a Systems Perspective

Over the past decade, the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector has become increasingly aware that the planning and management of sustainable service delivery requires an understanding of the interconnected factors that either enable or hinder WASH services. Service sustainability, therefore, hinges on the ability of local stakeholders to conceptualize and strategize service delivery approaches from a systems perspective. To assess shifts in stakeholder understanding of factor interactions, the Sustainable WASH Systems Learning Partnership (SWS) performed a rigorous analysis of key informant interviews conducted with water and sanitation service stakeholders over the project’s 5-year duration. This learning brief summarizes the study’s approach and findings, with lessons learned on how to improve stakeholders’ systems understanding within the WASH sector.

Related resources:

• Assessment of Shifts in Stakeholder Understanding of WASH Systems